A Bright Light and Deep Darkness
by SperoDeoVolente
Summary: An epic taking place in Runeterra, where Lux discovers who she is, and her place in the world. NC-17. NonCon. Sex. Bad Humor. Dark and gritty. Action/Adventure. Riv/Yas, Vi/Cait, Lux/Darius, Teemo/Trist, Ashe/Tryn, etc! Now in chronicle order. Latest chapter is at the end of the TLJ arc, not the very last chapter.
1. Chapter 1

Notes: HEY! I'm back! I decided to say fuck it to the people giving me grief, and come back! With some edits even! AND MORE CONTENT ACROSS THE BOARD!

/

Idly Luxanna "Lux" Crownguard swings her feet over a ledge high above the streets below. Her only companion is a sinister looking gargoyle. Her mission is complete, all she is doing now is wasting time until the guard watch rotates. Getting in and out of Noxus is becoming boringly easy. By now she has all the guard watch routes memorized, all the traffic patterns of the locals, and navigates the city without aide. When she first agreed to be a spellthief for Demacia, she thought it would be exciting! That she could use her skills for good, and bring light and justice to her people! At first it had been very exciting, but gradually her adventurous job lost its appeal. Part of the problem is that it isn't challenging, but there is a deeper reason to her distaste of the job.

Every child of Demacia is raised on the stories of the evil Noxians, their cruelty, wickedness, and torturous ways. When she first agreed to this job, she believed those stories wholeheartedly. Now though, now she knows better. Yes, the people are ruthless, but they are still human. People fall in love, raise families, and have friends. Brothers look out for each other. Not everyone is cruel, there are still small acts of kindness. Mostly these acts were carefully hidden among mean jokes, or hard jabs but are still there. People believe in following their laws, and keeping the peace. It also doesn't help that the government of Noxus is steadily becoming more corrupt, widening the gap between those who have, and those who have not.

It is, in fact, heartbreaking to watch the poorest members of Noxus struggle to make ends meet. Lux can never tell anyone, but she feels bad for the Noxians. If they could be just be taught to be a little more just, they could be a lot more like Demacians. However, such thoughts are dangerous. If anyone she knows found out that she had sympathies for her enemies, it will be her death. Even her favorite sibling, Garen, would turn his back on her. It is thoughts of family that lead her to this spot every night she is here. A pair of siblings, two brothers, live in the alley below her feet. They are her favorite Noxians to spy on. Yes, they had no important roles here, but they are the most human to her eyes. The oldest fights hard to provide food, shelter, and safety for his younger brother. The two of them play together, fight together, and get into trouble together. In a lot of ways, they reminds her of her earliest family memories. _It is amazing at how much alike we are...I wish I could help them, but I can't._

Lux is under very strict orders. Never, ever talk to a Noxian. Doing so could jeopardize her mission. Failure to Demacia isn't an option. These are bloody days, and compassion for the enemy is stupidly dangerous. Never give the enemy an advantage. This makes her a little sad inside, because just once she would like to talk to those boys. Maybe she could help them steal some pies for supper. Maybe make some new friends. Although she has lots of friends in Demacia, they don't feel like real friends. She is just a poster child, merely put on a pedestal for propaganda. Her own family had given her over to the government because of her raw power. Instead of raising her with love and care, they abandoned her to Demacia for the sake of the king, for the sake of their honor. Lux had not wanted that fate, she had fought her parents, fought against their decision to give her up. Is their cruelty towards their own blood any worse than the cruelty of the people who live here?

Sure, she is a beloved hero in Demacia, and Ionia, but that is it: an ideal. Everyone loves her for her heroic deeds, not her personality. House Crownguard is a large house; it is one the largest in Demacia. Although Lux is the only daughter, she has several siblings. That is why when she found about her power of light, and illusion, she used it for attention. No one noticed her, but at least she got some praise if she appears and disappears in plain sight.

At first the thoughts of doing daring missions for praise, glory, and fame seemed like a hefty draught she couldn't resist. However, her fame just makes her more lonely. How can she express her fears and doubts? She has to be perfect, because that is what her city-state demands of her. _I should get going soon. I had hoped to watch those brothers some, but they aren't here..._ CRASH! Loud crashes, curses, and scuffles could be heard from a couple alleys away. Curious, Lux decides to go investigate. _I hope my boys are okay...!_ By the time she reaches the commotion, the fight is over. The oldest is bleeding from head wounds, and while the younger is unscathed.

"I'll be right back!" The youngest calls out before dashing past the invisible Lux. _No! He has to be okay! If he dies here who will take care of his brother?_

Cautiously she approaches the wounded boy. Whoever attacked him is gone. However, that doesn't concern her. The young boy, _No...young man. He's older than I thought,_ is bleeding. Propped up against a dirty building, his eyes are closed, his breathing laboring. It almost seems like he accepts his fate to die here, dying to protect his only family. Before realizing what she is doing Lux becomes visible, and kneels besides the young man. Briefly she disguises her blonde hair black to help keep herself from being noticed. _No, I refuse to let him die here! What kind of person would I be if I just let him die like this? Sure, he's the enemy, but he isn't in the military..._ Lux knows that no one will be coming this way for a while, and it'll take time for the younger sibling to fetch help. If any help would be found. Dirty, grimy, and bloody the young man is ruggedly worst of the two wounds is a long jagged line against one of his eyes, and a less several wound near his hairline. The one eye that isn't wounded opens up and glances at her, confused.

"W-why are you helping me?" The young man gasps, uncertain.

"Because Noxus needs you to be strong. Don't die here like a weakling! Be strong." Lux knows that her best gruff voice doesn't sound very intimidating, but it is the best she has.

 _This is a bad idea...but I won't be a monster and leave him to die. I'm sure I'll regret this later, but here and now I won't hesitate. I emotionally lost my brother Garen, but I won't let these brothers be separated._ Just earlier today she stole some healing spells from Noxus infirmary. Not the most pleasant of spells, but they will do what she wants. Once she wipes all of the blood from his head, Lux presses her hands against the wound near the hairline. A sickly green glow radiates from her hands, sealing the wound. It leaves no scar, but she knows that it will affect his hair color. Next she trails a finger across the open line on his face. Again, a glow follows her finger. Lux knows that it isn't pleasant, the heat from the spell burns her hands, and she can feel his flesh sizzle slightly. Like a true Noxian, he makes no sounds indicating he is in pain. Just as she finishes healing the dagger wound, she hears footsteps coming down the alley. _Time to go!_ Before she can get up and run, one surprising strong hand grabs her wrist.

"I will be strong." No words of thanks, or praise, just a simple promise. Eyes hard as steel meet her blue eyes. Just as quick as he grabs her wrist, he releases it.

"Darius! I couldn't find any help but don't worry I'll...wait. Who are you? How much did that healing cost?!" Darius's younger brother runs up before them, before pausing for breath. He seems to be in shock at the sight before him.

"The healing isn't free. It is an investment in the future of the Noxus military. Besides, maybe I need practice with that healing spell. Maybe your brother being a test subject is in my favor, not yours." Lux manages to state in a neutral tone of voice with a straight face. _Oh shit! Oh shit! I'm going to get into so much trouble! Too late to back out now, I might as well help them as much as I can..._ Both boys give her understanding nods. Free help they don't understand, but being used for questionable spells they do.

"My name is Ana. You're obviously Darius," Lux replies while pointing a finger at Darius. "And what is your name?" She gives them both a wide, friendly grin. She can't help herself! Being friendly and nice is how she is.

"You are talking to the wonder that is Draven! You must be a very powerful mage to know such a spell. By helping my brother, you have given yourself the honor of helping me. You should thank me." Draven says this cheekily, but keeps a concerned eye on his brother. Darius is mute, keeping a speculative look on her.

"Thank you Draven. I am truly honored. Eww, the two of you are a complete mess! I'm going to practice some spells just so I can get you clean. Hold still." Slowly Lux reaches into her bag and pulls out a water bottle.

With a quick tap on the lid she puts on refill spell on the cap. That way, it will refill the water bottle as much as she needs. She's going to need a lot of clean water to get these two presentable. _Well, this is a good excuse to practice some of my spells!_ Draven and Darius are silent. Darius watches her with wary eyes, but seems to be slowly relaxing around her presence. Draven, on the other hand, seems to have taken a liken to her.

"I put a refill spell on this. It'll refill with clean water as much as I need it to. Let me get a something to wipe off all that dirt. You two might be pretty handsome under all that grim." Again, Lux reaches into her satchel pulling out a simple blue and cream handkerchief.

"I am always handsome! Being dirty only gives me extra charm. I am pleased to know that you understand my greatness. As such, I will clean myself for your eyes." Draven wags his eyebrows at her in his best attempt to be charming.

"You don't need to look at me that way. I'm just an ordinary mage who knows a lot of useful spells. I know so many I don't get a chance to practice them all. The two of you make very good test subjects. You should be proud of yourselves." Pleased with her spell work, she hands the handkerchief to Darius.

After a few seconds, she remembers a duplication spell. Similar to the refill spell, only for solid items. Again, her hands glow briefly before another handkerchief is created. Once Lux finishes making a duplicate she hands one to Draven. Draven's eyes are large with surprise. Concentrating hard, Lux duplicates the water bottle and the refill spell. Once she finishes with the second water bottle, she hands the spares to Darius.

"There. I live far from here, and I'm late heading home. Best of luck!" Again she stands and starts to walk away. And again, a strong hand grabs her wrist.

"Wait! What about your magical water bottles? You're just going to give them to us?" Draven eye's are even larger with amazement. His grip is not as strong as his older brothers, but still powerful.

"I am not giving them to you. I left in such a rush that I forgot to bring them with me. I will mutter darkly under my breath at the ungrateful street rats who sold them. In three days the spell will expire. I will be very annoyed, and need to practice the spell again," Lux says curtly. Despite her stern tone, she smiles at them.

"Will we ever see you again? You'll come back to visit right? Please?" Draven is giving her a look akin to hero worship. He gives her a wide hopeful grin. She notices that he is missing one of his front teeth.

"Of course we will Draven. Ana is a powerful mage who knows a lot of spells. She will remember her water bottles, and fetch them within three days." Darius gives her a strange look. Lux can't quite decide what the emotions are in his eyes, but they are strong, and focusing solely on her.

"Where will we see you in three days Ana?!" Another wide, hopeful smile meets her eyes.

"I will wait outside of this alley way at sundown on the third day," Lux says slowly. "I give you my word that I will be there." _Stupid! Stupid! What am I doing? This is high treason in Demacia! If anyone at home found out, they'll execute me. But those two boys...I can't disappointment little Draven. I will show up, collect my water bottles, and never return._

With a wave of her fingers, Lux walks away from Darius and Draven. Once she is out of sight a large sigh escapes her lips. After making sure no one can see her Lux releases the illusion spell on her hair. A faint flicker of light is all left of her as she goes invisible again. Quickly she dashes down the alley, going out of her way to get far away as fast as possible. _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! All Noxian's have to join the military, he will kill innocent people. He'll kill innocent Demacians! I just aided the enemy in a way I should never have done. That's it, I'm refusing all future missions into Noxus! I'm not fit for this job._ Lux doesn't look back, but she mentally whispers goodbye. Quick as she can, she leaves Noxus far behind.

For the first time her in life, Luxanna Crownguard lies on her mission report. _I know I can't keep a straight face while lying to Garen! Good thing I can change my appearance._ No one questions her about the mission. No one suspects the acts of treason she committed. For now, she is safe in her lies. Now though, now comes the hard part.

"Captain Crownguard, I request to be removed from all future missions into Noxus. I have collected the information we need the most. There are other jobs I'm better suited for, Sir. Please allow me to better serve Demacia." With that said, Lux knees down on her right leg to the floor in the sign of complete respect.

Her head rests on her head on her right knee, eyes on the floor, and her right hand is held in a tight fist against her chest. This is the signal of complete obedience, and a sign of respect. As a member of House Crownguard, she doesn't need to do this very often. She doesn't need to now, but she needs all the extra support she can to get out of future missions to Noxus. _Please, please, please accept my request...please!_

"Very well young Crownguard. You have shown true dedication and service to Demacia, this humble request shall be granted. What service do you wish to do now?" Garen Crownguard gives her a stern look as he asks her about her desired missions.

"I wish to steal spells and hextech used in Zaun. If we can unravel their uses before they reach Noxus, it will be a huge advantage in battle." Again, Lux receives a stern look from her brother.

Ever since he joined the military, he became a stranger to her. What was once a fun, loving brother is now a cold and rigid paragon of Demacia. Luckily, her brother has no skill in seeing through illusions. Ever since she graduated from the Academy, she's never had to use the spell on anyone she knows.

"Very well. I will send notice to the appropriate places so you may collect your gear. I expect your best results from these missions as you have before. Dismissed." Her brother drops his stern gaze from her, and goes back to his reports.

"Thank you Captain Crownguard." Without needing to lie, or keep up an illusion Lux gives her older brother a happy smile. A smile that he does not see, nor return.

 _Why is it that two Noxians have a better, loving family relationship then I do with mine? Where did Demacia go wrong? Are we really that superior? No matter! I have a promise to keep._ With a bounce and skip to her step, Lux heads towards the supply station. Although her Garen is a terrible brother, he is an efficient Captain. By the time she reaches the Quarter Master, all the gear she needs is ready to go. Upon collecting all of her supplies, Lux heads out on her new mission. _I just have one little detour..._

A cold, hard rain pelts Noxus and the surrounding area causing minor flooding in the moats. Dribbles of water trickle down through the lower levels of the city penetrating the granite floors. Thick black clouds that look like boiling oil cover the sky, making it impossible to determine if it is night or day. Two brothers stand out in the rain. Both of them look cold, but neither refuses to leave their post at the entrance of the alley.

"She's coming, right?" Pleads the younger of the two.

"Of course she is. Ana gave her word. We just need to be patient. You should get out of the rain though, you're getting cold." The older of the two briefly ruffles his younger brother's hair, shaking lose cold water.

"Me? Cold? Ha! I, Draven, can tolerate all kinds of weather and be fine! You should get out of the rain. I'll be fine, you won't be." Draven states this like a fact. Neither brother moves.

"She is coming, right? We didn't miss her in the rain?" Draven gives his older brother another pleading look.

"Ugh! Shut up! Of course she will! If she doesn't, I'll have some choice words to say..." Darius growls.

"Oh! Say what? I'd love to hear these choice words...I owe you some for doubting my word!" Ana chirps this cheerfully from behind them. Lux actually dyed her hair black instead of using magic this time. Several layers of warm clothing cover her, hiding most her features except a wisps of black hair, and her blue eyes. A couple spells woven into her cloak help keep it dry at all times, despite being in constant rain.

Even though her clothing keeps her warm, the actual concern of the two brothers warms her further. Actually, Lux had reached the entrance way a couple minutes ago, but out of habit she stayed hidden. The two brothers familiar banter reminded her sharply of how different her brothers speak to her. _I wish Garen would...but no matter! I will now collect my water bottles and leave._

"Ana! Ana! You're actually here! I was...ahem. Of course you're here. I never doubted that. I never have any doubts." States young Draven. This time he missing more than one tooth in his excited smile. Not caring that he is soaking wet, he hugs her tightly.

"Draven, let her go. You'll get her cold and wet. Sorry about that...sometimes Draven doesn't think things through." Darius says calmly as he pries his younger brother off Lux. All Draven does in response to this is stick out his tongue.

"Don't worry about it. I have enough spells on my clothing that I won't get wet. Well, I would if someone shoves me into a puddle..." Lux says reflectively before shrugging.

"No worries! You're with me. No one shoves the friends of Draven into puddles." With a proud huff Draven crosses his arms across his chest.

"No one will shove you into a puddle. They'll have to get through me first." Darius mutters darkly. Again, he gives her a stare full of intense emotions.

"And me too! You're safe with us. But enough with the talking, more with the walking. I have a surprise for you. Darius helped a little bit, but it was mostly me. C'mon, follow me!" With that, Draven grabs Lux's hand, and starts to lead her through the streets.

"A surprise? Should I be afraid?" Lux teases. Neither boy answers her, but lead her through the empty streets. Darius sticks firmly by her right side glaring at anyone who bothers to look in their direction. In all her time in Demacia, no one has shown her such care. Yet here, in the evil city of Noxus, she is getting tender attention. Both brothers are protecting her, and giving her a gift. Gifts are common in Demacia, but rarely are they given with such emotion to strangers.

"Tada! Here we are! I'm treating you to Sinful Succulence. Since you're such a devoted fan of mine, you deserve such an honor." Draven says this will striking a dramatic pose.

"No, we're treating her. I did most of the work. Ignore Draven, he's being overly dramatic again." With that said, Darius steps away from her side and holds open the door for them.

The bakery isn't crowded, but Morgana gives the two brothers a dark look. Scathingly she looks them up and down taking note of dirty, soaking and worn clothing. Apparently used to this treatment the two brothers march up the counter and place their orders. Despite glaring at them with disgust, Morgana accepts their coin before graciously accepting Lux's order.

"I refuse to have you dripping all over my bakery, you can wait outside while I fill your order. The unfortunate Lady next to you is welcome to stay inside." Morgana snarls at them eyes hard and menacing.

"Oh! Don't worry about them, they'll be dry enough to stay," Lux says calmly. Although her tone of voice is still cheerful and light, her eyes are a dangerous shade of blue. Before either of her companions could say anything, Lux snaps her fingers twice. With a faint poof! both brothers are suddenly dry. After a few delayed seconds, the muddy puddle they left while walking in also disappears.

"See! Nice and dry. We'll wait here for our orders." Again with a cheerful tone of voice, and bright smile Lux waves at the seething Morgana before turning around.

"Lets away from the door, the draft is cold. Let's sit...," Lux looks around the bakery before spotting a nice corner near the kitchen entrance.

"...there. It is away from the door, and it'll be the warmest spot here." With that said, Lux strides over to the far corner and plops down on a well worn seat. Behind her both brothers follow mute, eyes impossibly wide. Draven sits to her left, while Darius takes the sit across from her.

"If I weren't the most brave person ever, you'd the be bravest person in Noxus. You stood up to Morgana! Not even Darius can do that. I can, but I chose not to." Draven says this a quick rush. Before Lux suspected Draven to have some hero worship for her, now she knows for certain.

"That was very...impressive. Why did you do it?" Darius's voice is low. Once again Lux is the sole target of those dark eyes. It sends a shiver down her spine.

"Oh! I needed practice working on a couple spells. The one getting you dry is a rapid evaporation spell that requires fine tuning. That way I can master it so it wouldn't damage clothing, while the spell removing the puddles is a simple relocation spell to outside of the shop and..." Lux continues to ramble on about the finer details of the spell's mechanics.

Lux knows that she can't tell the real reason why she stood up for them. They wouldn't accept her help, nor would they want it. Yet, she wants to defend them. It isn't about being kind to a couple of orphans anymore, it is about being just. They were being unjustly treated, and as a Demacian, it is her duty to uphold justice. More importantly, it is about defending her friends. That, and the look Darius gives her makes her shiver. Not shiver in fear, but shiver with an emotion she's never felt before. No one has ever given Lux that kind of look before. It is nice to receive such a look from a handsome young man. _What am I doing? I was just supposed to collect my water bottles and leave! I have got to be really careful...how in Demacia did I become friends with Noxians? If anyone finds out...well, I just can't let anyone find out._

Wordless, Morgana strides over to their table before placing down their orders. Both mages eyeball each other, judging their opponent. Draven promptly starts to pig out on his order of some sort of yellow jello like substance. Darius, however, does not start to eat. He simply watches the silent exchange between Morgana and Lux. His body is tense, waiting for the battle to break out. Neither mage breaks eye contact before Morgana bows gracefully before turning around to head back to the kitchen. Once Morgana is out of eyesight, Lux relaxes before starting to eat some sort of apple confection. Again, she feels an intense stare on her. Darius has another unreadable look on his face, but the same hot emotion is still in his eyes.

"What? I like apples...," Lux says in a hurry. A tomato blush crosses her face. Both of them know what had just happened. And neither of them wants to admit it in front of Draven.

"Ana, you are a strong mage." Is all Darius says before starting to eat his dessert.

Luckily for the two of them, Draven finishes his treat quickly and starts to brag breaking the awkward silence. For several hours after they finish eating, the three of them laugh at Draven's outrageous stories. Customers come and go, but the three of them are completely ignorant of the time. Morgana states very loudly that it is closing time, and everyone needs to leave her shop.

"Ah! I'm late. I thought I'd be on my to Zaun by now...do either of you know of a good hotel nearby I can stay in for the night?" Lux asks worried. _I was certain I would collect my water bottles and be out of Noxus in less than hour, not spend several hours here. What am I going to do? Do I even have enough coin to afford a safe place to stay?_ Silently the two brothers exchange looks before looking at her serious.

"You're staying with us." They say together voices firm and unyielding. With one fluid movement they stand up at the same time. Darius stands walks towards the exit first, keeping it open for the other two. With a smooth, practiced move Lux sweeps her hood over head and walks out into the rain. She hadn't noticed while talking with her new friends, but it has grown very, very late. There are only a few lights shining through shuttered windows. A cold, hungry wind is driving the freezing rain at a hard angle, obscuring their vision. Draven walks behind her, while Darius stands guard in front of her. The two of them are tense, ready for trouble.

They are right to be ready for trouble. Lux has only been through this section of Noxus a few times, and each time it was extremely risky. Now, at night, it was almost suicidal to be alone. As much as Lux wants to protest that she can take care of herself, she knows this to be partial wrong. Yes, she can protect herself from harm, but at this time of night it would be very hard to get away safely without killing someone. Dark magic runs deep through this part of the city, and it would take a lot of magic to get away without killing the other mage.

Murder is not tolerated in Noxus. That and if she is with Darius and Draven she can protect them from harm. With quiet guardians she is escorted back towards the alley they live in. Usually she leaves her vigil over them just before they head to bed, so Lux has no idea where they sleep. A part of her is wary at the way her night is turning out. Out of all the residents in Noxus, she trusts those two brothers the most. Why is she here?

Spending the night in the slums of Noxus without any backup is insane. _How did this happen again? I'll collect my water bottles, say goodbye, and leave Noxus forever in the morning. It was nice though, to have a fun evening without the worries of being the perfect Demacian Hero for everyone else to admire._

Near the end of the alley there is a hole in one of the buildings. It isn't very large, but it easily allows someone of their smaller stature to squeeze in without too much difficulty. Curious, Lux turns around and examines their little living space. Nestled within the building is an abandoned storage room. It is more or less dry, however, there isn't much else to boast about it. There is a couple empty crates serving as furniture, a broken bookcase littered with little personal knickknacks, and a 'bed'. The bed is a small set of material that could be considered blankets on a raised set of metal storage units.

"It isn't much, but it is more or less dry. You can have the blankets, so you'll be warm enough. Draven can rest next to me on the floor so you'll have the entire bed to yourself." Darius's voice is gruff with an emotion Lux has never heard before. It is different from his usual tone, more low and husky.

"What are you talking about, brother?! We can all share the bed. Ana is really tiny, we'll all fit. Besides, didn't you want to get to know her better?" Draven says with a smug tone.

"Draven...shut up!" Growls Darius eyes almost burning with suppressed embarrassment. Unable to look her in the eyes, Darius ignores her and Draven, and starts set up their bed for her to sleep on.

"Haha, that is really sweet of you. I will have the bed to myself, but let me make sure that your little cubby hole is more comfortable for all of us." Slowly Lux centers her in the little room. With a mage's eye, she takes notice of every hole, crack, and leak. Darius and Draven move to the edges of the room, waiting and watching her every move.

Luxanna closes her eyes tight and views the room from her inner eye, the part of her that sees things on a magical level. Pressing her hands together, folding together all of her fingers but the indexes, Lux reaches outwards with her magic. With a brush of magic only she can see, Lux seals every hole, crack, and leak in the room. It takes time, but afterwards the entire room will be airtight, watertight, and much warmer. With an additional after thought as she starts to retreat from her magic, she brushes up the paint job on the room, so it is now clean looking instead of cracked and peeling. Once free from her spell, Lux looks around at her handy work. What had once been a dirty, abandoned little storage space is now a clean, livable room.

"Much better! Now, let me do something about these blankets of yours...," Lux says content with her already amazing handy work. Quickly searching through her mental inventory of spells, she remembers a transformation spell that would work nicely for pitiful blankets. Coupling that spell with the duplication spell... _Yes, yes that will work nicely here_. With a firm grip on the blankets, Lux flicks them upwards and outwards. As they move the blankets become thicker, softer, and changes to a pleasant blue color with a cream colored border. Once that transformation is complete, she duplicates that spell on the blankets two more times making one for each brother. With a loud yawn, Lux turns and smiles at them. Both brothers are staring at her, transfixed with awe. Their eyes are wide and mouths open in shock.

"Heehee! No need to look that impressed. I'm just an ordinary mage with a lots of spells to practice. You'll catch bugs with your mouths open like that." With a genuine smile of amusement on her face, Lux dances over to her new friends. With one finger she closes their jaws by lifting up their chin. Darius and Draven both continue to stare at her with amazement. Darius is giving her another intense stare, and as she looks deep into his eyes, she flushes hot. _What...am...I...thinking?! I've helped them out enough. I've done my duties as a just Demacian and in the morning I will leave and never return._

"All of those spells made me sleepy. I'm going to bed now. I'll head out to Zaun early tomorrow. Thank you for the place to sleep, and letting me practice magic. G'night!" With that said and done, Lux sets down her satchel at the end of the bed. Again, with practiced ease, she rolls up her cloak into a pillow. Wrapping herself up in nice, warm blue blankets she quickly drifts off to a deep sleep. Before she finally falls asleep she hears a whispered conversation between her two new friends.

"I'm going to marry her someday! I'll be married to the strongest mage in all of Noxus."

"Draven, shut up!" Growls a familiar voice with a tone that causes butterflies in her stomach.

Sometime early the next day, Lux suddenly wakes up, alert and tense. At first, she freezes at the sights, and smells of an unfamiliar room. Just as quick as she wakes up, the memories of last night return. _Okay! Time to do my job. I'll say my goodbyes, and never return. I do have spells to steal after all. I've never been to Zaun before, I might want to steal a map when I get there._ A faint snoring noise fills her ears. Draven is propped against his older brother, sound asleep. Darius, however, is wide awake. Again, eyes filled with an unfamiliar emotion gaze into her. Unable to continue meeting his gaze, she starts to unroll her cloak. Once she is ready to leave, she reaches deep into her satchel and pulls out some trail rations. Due to the nature of her job, the trail rations are standard Zaun rations. Nothing about it could be traced back to Demacia. With a quick flick of her wrist she tosses a couple at Darius.

" I guess this is goodbye...thank you for the wonderful evening, and the safe place to sleep. I really need to head out to Zaun now. I'm already behind schedule. I've put a warming spell on the blankets that should last a week. The spells I used to patch this place up, and creating the blankets will last forever though." With a small smile, Lux starts to head out the entrance. Again Darius grabs her wrist firmly.

"You should come back in a week. To renew the warming spells on the blankets, and retrieve your water bottles. Draven would like it if you came back." Darius whispers sounding almost desperate.

Lux isn't certain if he is being quiet for his sleeping brother, or if he actually wants her to return himself, but is too embarrassed to ask. This time she returns his gaze. Still, his dark eyes are full with a wild emotion she has never seen before. His intensity shakes her to her very soul. _I really shouldn't return...I've already messed up already. But harm will one more visit do? I just have to renew the warming spells, say goodbye for real this time, and never return._ A part deep inside of her, a part of her that she has never listened to before, tells her to return. A hot emotion, burning from deep within whispers for her to return to Darius.

"I will come back here in exactly one week, to renew the warming spells. I live far from here, and it will be difficult to visit...but I will return. I give you my word that I will come back here in exactly one week. Goodbye Darius!" Once more, a warm, genuine, and grateful smile graces her face. This time, Lux does look back. Still, those dark eyes stare into her soul. With a friendly wink, Lux flips up her cloak and vanishes into the morning fog.

Over night the rain had stopped. In its place is a cold, thick fog. Easily Lux slips invisible and wanders through the city with a bounce in her step. For the first time in a long time, Lux is truly happy with her work. In Demacia, she practices her spells all the time. However, there is no true thank you for her at home. Just a fake smile, and brush off for her efforts. That is part of her job. She is a powerful mage who effortlessly works magic for the good of Demacia, and she does it without pay. _I don't mind helping my people, but would it hurt them to be grateful? Just once I'd like them to see me, Lux, not just as The Lady of Luminosity, the 'perfect' hero of the city._ For the first time, people are truly grateful for her work. Even though they had almost nothing to give in thanks, they managed to get enough funds to treat her to dessert. Beyond the delightful dinner, they gave her their staunch protection.

A warm, happy glow fills her. Barely noticing, Lux leaves Noxus behind and is well down the road to Zaun. Getting in and out of the Noxus has been so easy, that is almost like entering and leaving Demacia. Unlike Noxus or Demacia, getting in and out of Zaun is different. Although no one stops to search her, everyone looks at her like she is a dinner. Either someone wants her to buy something, try something, or follow them for services...and each of them with a negative ending for her.

It takes time learning the city, finding the safest and fastest in and outs. Normally she would be faster at learning new terrain, but her thoughts keep on drifting back towards her new friends. Darius's intense gaze haunts her sleep, while Draven's excitable dramatics give her giggles during the day. Near the end of the week, Lux has only managed to steal seven spells, most of them about using light magic in onyx. The spells are interesting, but of little use to Demacia. _I can't go home without more information! I'll just send word to Garen that I need time for extended mission. I need to collect more information about new explosive spells, but it is heavily guarded and I'm having difficulties getting in. I need more time to get this job done, and have time to say my final goodbyes to Darius and Draven._

It doesn't take much to send an encrypted message spell to her brother from the heart of Zaun. Two agonizing hours later, Lux receives confirmation from Garen to spend as much time in Zaun as she needs. What isn't said, is if she fails this mission it will end very, very bad for her. _If I can't stay useful in the military, mother will want to marry me off. I don't want to get married just to produce more soldiers for Demacia! I want to live my life my way, not to be a breeding mare._ Firmly shaking her head to clear away the negative thoughts, Lux packs up her bags.

If she leaves now, she should have enough time to visit her friends. Zaunite coin is acceptable currency in Noxus, even if it is worth far less. It hadn't taken much to make, and sell off a common spell books for gold. With the right materials, creating a basic spellbook is cheap and easy. Although it has nothing dangerous within, a lot of the basic spells are useful guides for apprentices. Despite the need for spellbooks, she is left one copy. Uncertain of what to do with it, she debates her options. It is too much weight to haul all the way to Noxus and back. A sensation of being watched ripples down her spine. Someone is staring at her.

Looking around for the source, Lux spots a small mage with wild wispy blond hair. At least, Lux thinks the girl is a mage? Whoever she is, she isn't trained. An idea sparks to mind! A shrug rolls off her shoulders, as Lux holds out the book in the girls direction. All she gets is a huge, shocked look.

"Take it. I don't have time to sell it. I don't want to haul with me. I'd rather not throw it away. Keep it if you wish!" Lux says with a cheery tone, before gently tossing the book in the girls general direction. With a gleeful gasp, the girl catches the book, then vanishes into the shadows. Pleased with her good deed, Lux continues on her way.

Before she leaves, Lux purchases some vials of alchemical fluids. She doesn't need them herself, but they'll make for a good reason to get into Noxus if the military stops her for questioning.

Lux runs as fast as she can for Noxus. Already the sun is starting to set, and if she doesn't hurry she'll be late. Getting into Noxus will be slightly more difficult this time. Unlike entering the city during busy times when it is easy to slip in unnoticed, now she needs entrance while it is slow and the guards are bored. Bored guards are dangerous guards in Noxus, and the detection spells will be more alert. Most of the time the locals are left unmolested, but visitors are not so lucky.

As she creeps up the entrance, a deep dread fills her. There are an unusually large number of guards on duty. It looks like there has been some sort of dispute, and the entrance is contested. Standing guard near the rear of the hive of activity is a young soldier with white hair. She appears to be Lux's age. Unlike Lux, she does not appear to use any magic but instead yields a sword nearly as large as she is. _Oh! I know who that is! That's Riven. The Noxus poster child version of me. Maybe I can use her to get in._ Posturing herself upright like a proper Noxian, Lux strides up with respect towards Riven.

"Commander Riven! It is an honor to meet you. How may I assist you with this...trouble?" Luckily, Lux can lie easily to people who aren't family. Lux keeps her cowl on cloak down, keeping nothing about herself hidden. Black dyed hair dances slightly in the faint breeze, while she keeps her blue eyes at sharp attention. One of the tricks of hiding in plain sight is being able to blend in. If she acts like she has a secret, or wants to sneak it, it'll give off the wrong kind of vibe.

"Who are you citizen? And what is your business?" Riven's voice is curt, but polite.

"Commander Riven, I am Ana. I do not know my family name, but that does matter. I do not need to be nobility to better serve Noxus. I am returning from Zaun with supplies! I plan on selling them to Dr. Mundo for his latest experiments." With a proud salute followed by a smile, Lux opens up a pocket in her satchel showing off a jumble of vials filled with glowing fluids.

"Excellent. In fact, there is something you can do for Noxus. I need you to deliver this message to Singed. You may find better prices for your goods with him. Singed is always looking for new supplies for his concoctions. Good day Ana." A brief nod of her head, and Riven hands Lux a scroll, and access into the city.

 _I am going to be late! But I need to deliver this message, sell off these goods, say goodbyes, and go back to Zaun._ One of the first places Lux learned access to is Singed lab. Not the most pleasant of places, but Riven is right. She'll get better prices there. A shudder rips across her. Lux knows what Singed will do with these fluids, but by this point she doesn't have a choice. Although Singed officially lives in Zaun, he has a full time lab in Noxus. His good friend, Warwick, is often in the labs as well. Warwick is a fierce force of nature that terrifies her. As quick as she can, Lux gets to Singed lab. Depending on your business depends on who will answer the door. If she uses the correct password Singed will open the door, instead of someone else, like say, Warwick. _Okay, the secret knock is...one soft, three hard, two soft, followed by five quick raps._ Once she done, the door slowly creaks open. To her complete dismay, Warwick greets her at the door.

"Little girl, what business do you have? Singed is very busy right now. Sell your goods to me, then be on your way." Warwick states this with a bored tone. Despite the sound of his voice, Warwick is alert and watching her carefully.

"I have personal business with Singed, Warwick. Commander Riven has given me a message to give to him personally. That, and I have Zaunite supplies to sell to him. I know that I can get more coin from Singed, then Dr. Mundo." Somehow, she manages to say this with her usual cheerful tone. A forced smile fills her face as she stares back at the terror that is Warwick. _Please, please, please don't figure out I'm not Noxian!_

"You're a brave little girl, aren't you? Follow me, I'll take you to Singed." Warwick holds open the door for her.

"No thank you, Warwick. I would rather meet with Singed in person at his workshop. I know the way there. You don't need to waste you valuable time showing me around." Again, she manages to keep her tone cheerful, but her blue calculating eyes stare deep back into Warwick's equally calculating gaze. Her smile turns just as smug as his. _I know your game! You're not fooling me into falling your deathtrap._

"Haha! Not only are you brave, you're smart! I like that. You'll grow strong one day little girl. I'll tell Singed to meet you in his workshop. I'll put in a good word for you." Warwick disappears back inside. Silently counting to fifty before moving, Lux walks around to a different door. Just as she reaches the door, she sees Singed move into the room from a window. Again she gives the secret knock. This time she is rewarded with the proper person greeting her at the door.

"I hear you have a message for me? Lucky girl avoiding Warwick like that. I think he might behind on his marks. Show me what you have and leave quickly before Warwick changes his mind. He gets bored easily these days and will make a quick gold for fun." Silently Lux hands over the message. Once the message has been passed over, she pulls out her supplies. Quick, knowledgeable hands examine each vial.

"Again you're in luck. I need all of these. One of them I ran out two days ago. I was going to have to send an assistant to Zaun for this. I can pay you the standard prices, plus a bonus for not falling into one of Warwick's trap. Noxus needs more smart soldiers like you." Gently placing the vials aside like they were made of holy materials, Singed reaches into a desk drawer. Without looking, he pulls out a small bag that jingles with the sound of coin. After another second he reaches in again and pulls out a separate bag that also jingles with coin.

"Here is your payment, plus the bonus. Now be on your way child. I have important work to do." Singed states before dismissing her.

Somehow Lux manages to get away from the lab without flat out running. Once she is out of sight of the cursed place, she pauses to take a deep breath. Before she can relax she is embraced by a strong set of arms.

"Ahhh! Let me go you..." Lux screams in surprise. _This is bad, bad, bad!_

"It's okay, it's me. You're safe. I won't let him take you." A blessedly familiar person is holding her close. Somehow Darius has found her, and is holding her close. A sigh relief escapes her. Before Lux realizes what she is doing, she embraces Darius back. All of her fear at narrowly avoiding a messy death crashes against her. Tears leak down her eyes as she buries her head against his chest. He says nothing as he holds her shaking body close.

"How'd you find me?" Lux sniffles softly, after a few moments just enjoying the safety of Darius's strong arms.

"We were getting worried when you were late. It was Draven's idea to check by entrance closest to Zaun. We wanted to greet you, but you were intercepted by Commander Riven before we could say something. I sent Draven home while I followed you. I'm glad I caught you before Warwick did. Let's go." Just as quick as he embraced her, Darius releases her.

Lux gives Darius a big smile, before letting go herself. Suddenly it dawns on her what had just happened. A crimson blush crosses her face, trails down her neck, and all the way down to her feet. Carefully she places her bag of coin into her satchel before finally leaving behind that place of horror. Darius stays close to her right, refusing to let anyone near her. _What am I doing? I'm not some helpless maiden! I can handle myself. Still...I'm glad Darius found me. I'll treat him to dinner, refresh the spells, say my goodbyes, and leave Noxus for good!_

"Um, thank you for meeting me. I sold some Zaunite supplies to Singed. I'll treat you to dinner before I collect my things and go back to Zaun."

Unable to look Darius in the eyes, Lux idly looks all around her except at Darius.

"Isn't it the guy's job to treat the girl out to dinner?" Darius teases lightly. Nothing malicious is in his voice, just pleasant banter.

"No, it is the hero's job to treat the damsel out to dinner. I'm the hero, and that makes you the damsel." Lux jibes back.

"Hmph! Me? The damsel? Where did you get that foolish notion!" Darius growls back. Again there isn't anything menacing in his tone of voice, just friendly annoyance.

"I'm the hero! I just completed a fierce mission, looked death in the eyes, and returned triumphant with gold. Upon my glorious return, I was embraced by the handsome damsel." She teases back. The longer they walk side by side, the calmer she gets.

"Ugh! What is Noxus coming to! You sound like Draven. He's a bad influence on you." Darius says with a chortle.

"I've heard that Zoe's is a good, affordable place to eat. I've always wanted to try the apple cider there...," Lux says hesitantly.

"That sounds like a tasty idea. Follow me, I want to take a safer route." Unable to look her in the eyes, Darius takes hold of her hand before leading her down a different road.

Both of them are silent as they walk through meandering roads. Gradually the blush from holding Darius's hand fades, and is replaced by warm fuzzy emotions. His hand is rough and callused, but he is holding her hand gently. She'd never had a man who wasn't family hold her hand before. Her brothers had always scared off any suitors. Lux has never been through part of Noxus before, so she a sharp eye on her surroundings. _This is a good route to remember for future missions. Wait...I already turned down all future missions here. Ugh! What am I thinking?_ Again, a part of her that Lux has never listened to before whispers that she wants to return for Darius. _No! No! No! Not going there heart! No forbidden romances for me._

Sooner than she would have liked, Darius releases her hand outside of Zoe's. Pleasant aromas waft out from the windows and doors. Light from various sources illuminate the building. Darius steps forward and opens the door for her. Unlike Sinful Succulence, the owner doesn't look down at them. The two of them take a seat at a small table in the corner. Menu's already wait on the table. In silence the two of order a simple meal, and drinks. The food in Noxus is very different than the food Lux is used to eating in Demacia, but she is relatively certain that what she orders is safe to eat. The real reason she wants to eat at Zoe's is not for the food, but because of their apple cider. How many times has she overheard people praising the apple cider here? Careful to order the non alcoholic cider, she smiles at Darius once their orders are placed.

"Hm, you came all this way for the apple cider...afterwards I'm taking you to a great stall for apple pie. My treat." Although Darius doesn't ask for her permission, Lux can hear the question in his voice.

"Thank you! Apple pie is my favorite." Lux says happily. It doesn't take long for their food to arrive. Sure enough, the apple cider is divine. The two of eat in silence, but it is a pleasant silence. Once they are done eating, they head outside. Without verbal agreement, the two of save some food for Draven. Unlike before their dinner did not last for several hours. The sun has just finished setting and the already the welcoming glow from twilight surrounds them. Once more Darius takes hold of her hand. This time, Lux doesn't blush all the way down to her toes, just to her waist.

Once more she is lead down streets she doesn't recognize, but gradually she reaches a section of the city she does. Lux is bombarded by the familiar hollers of a busy marketplace. People mill around, talking to neighbors and friends. Fierce bargaining over food and goods could be heard in every corner. Despite this being Noxus, the sight looks exactly like one in Demacia. _We really aren't that much different. If only...no matter! The wishes of one Demacian noble won't be enough to change centuries of bitter hatred._ Without hesitation Darius leads her to a central stall. It's colors are red, yellow and black, and appears to be fairly popular. Once the other customers are clear Darius steps forward.

"Two slices of warm spice apple pie." Darius commands. The stall owner gives him a strange look before taking his coin. Once he finishes counting his payment, the baker turns towards the back of the stall before returning with the apple pie. Similar to previous experiences, the baker gives Lux her piece first ignoring Darius as long as possible. Once both of them have their treat they start to head back towards where Darius sleeps. Not even waiting for the pie to cool, Lux takes a small nibble.

"Thank you! And this is really really good!" Lux says. It is, indeed, the best apple pie she has ever eaten. _How in the world is it possible that the best apple pie I've ever eaten is found in Noxus?_ _I don't want to still be eating this when I see Draven, better eat it fast._ Without pause, she starts to take another bit of the hot apple pie.

"Slow down! Don't burn yourself," Darius says gruffly as he gently takes hold of her hand before Lux can go back to eating her treat as fast as possible. Lux blushes hot as his hand again takes hold of hers.

"A-ah. Okay. I'll be careful." Lux stammers before lowering her hand. _Why am I taking orders from a Noxian?!_

"Good. You're staying with Draven and I tonight. It isn't safe for you to stay out alone at night." Again, Darius doesn't ask permission. Yet, again, his voice has a soft hesitance tone. The last tinges of twilight fade away, leaving behind darkness.

"Enjoy my company that much, Darius that you won't let me leave?" Lux teases. Amazingly enough, her blush only goes to her neck this time.

"Of course he does! How was your date?" Draven says with a smug tone. Unbeknownst to her and Darius, Draven has snuck up behind them.

"I-I-I-I..." Is all Lux can manage.

"DRAVEN! SHUT UP!" Darius' growl is long and menacing. Draven ignores his brothers warning growl. With a smooth move, Draven shifts over to Lux.

"I can tell by your cute blush that you two had a good time. C'mon follow me fair hero! I will escort you, and your handsome damsel, to my humble castle." Blithely ignoring Darius' murderous glares, Draven takes hold of Lux's free hand before leading her down familiar streets.

"Draven..." Darius' voice has gone silky soft with a dark dangerous tone to it.

"Relax Darius! I've got this. Since you're behind on my exploits fair Ana, let me tell you about them..." Upon which Draven starts bragging about the adventures he has gotten into since she was last here. Before long Lux is laughing at Draven's stories as he leads her back to his home.

Once the three of them reach the entrance to their living space, Draven steps in first. Again, ignoring the look on his brothers face, Draven gestures Lux to follow. Nothing looks different from the last time she was here, but Draven surprises her with a small bouquet of blue flowers once she steps inside.

"Oh!" Is all Lux says in pleasant surprise. Graciously she accepts the small bouquet before moving off to the side so Darius can get in. Darius eyes the flowers with extreme prejudice.

"Draven! Here! Food! Eat outside! Now!" Darius booms out voice dark.

"Tut tut brother. Surely you're not going to deny my amazing person such fair company?" With reflexes faster than Lux expects, Draven yanks the small bag of food from his brother's hand. A smug smirk on his face, Draven gestures to Lux to have a seat on the bed before sitting down himself next to her.

"You are the second bravest person in all of Noxus. You looked death in the eye and returned triumphant with gold. It isn't every day a hero gets to enjoy my person! Your choice in damsels could be improved on though." Draven purrs, obviously enjoying his brother's extreme discomfort.

"Draven shut up! Go eat elsewhere! Scat!" Darius mutters. His eyes are dark, with a growing dangerous glint to them.

"No, no! He's okay! Draven can stay. Don't make your brother eat outside by himself," Lux admonishes.

"And Draven, it isn't beneath you to tease your brother like this? After all, your great person doesn't need to belittle others to shine. Why, by insulting your brother you makes him seem unworthy of you! How could you allow anyone to assume that anyone related to you isn't worthy." Lux says cheerfully. Draven's mouth opens and closes once, before deciding that eating in silence is his best option.

"Heh." Darius smirks.

The three of them enjoy each other's company in silence as Draven pigs out on his dinner. Each time Lux looks over at Darius, she is the sole focus of his gaze. The intense emotions in his eyes makes her heart beat faster. Something about those eyes drew her attention, drew her attention to his very presence. Yet, every time her eyes meet his, she blushes hot and looks away.

"Ana, what is your last name?" Draven asks curiously once he finishes his supper.

"Oh? My last name? It isn't important." Lux says dismissively. _Oh shit! Now they're going to ask personal questions. I have to be very careful what I say._ Both brothers stare at her in surprise. Neither of them understands, or wants to accept her answer.

"Is the knowledge of your name more important than us?" Darius inquires softly sounding disappointed.

"It isn't like that. My family is...well known where I live. Each time people learn my name, they stop seeing me. Instead, they see my family's reputation. I, Ana, cease to exist and my family's name replaces me. I'm my own person, not a reputation, here. I'll lose that, if I tell you." That last part Lux says bitter.

"Oh. Is Ana your real name?" Draven asks even more curious.

"It is a shortened version of my name...It is a just a nickname I like." Lux replies hesitant, not wanting to flat out lie.

"Draven, shut up! Ana doesn't want to answer these questions. Don't bother her over it. Everyone has their secrets, leave hers alone. " Darius sounds upset, but Lux can't determine who he is upset with.

"Do either of you know how to play Chess? I love to play that game, I'll teach you if you're interested..." Lux asks quickly trying to change the subject. Both brothers look at her with renewed interest.

"I've heard of it, but I don't how to play." Darius says reflectively glad to have a change in conversation himself.

"It is beneath my person to know such a little game! If I don't know how to play it, then it isn't worth playing. But! For you, I will allow myself to be taught." Draven states with pride as he makes another extravagant pose. Lux giggles a bit at his dramatics.

"Okay, let me create a board for us, and pieces..." Lux states happily. With a flick of her wrist a glowing platform appears between the three of them. Another flick of her wrist creates glowing pieces. Draven learns the game quickly, but just as quickly becomes bored of it. Darius, however, shows a lot of interest in the game. The two of them talk about chess well into the night. Draven drifts off to sleep, bored of their chatter. An hour later, Lux yawns loudly.

"Sleep. I have work in the morning, but Draven can keep you company if you decide to stay. Draven will be sad if you leave so soon." Darius says softly as if afraid to startle her away.

"We'll see...," Lux yawns. "G'night Darius. G'night Draven." With one last smile at Darius, Lux curls up under the blankets and falls asleep. Sometime early the next morning she hears someone exiting the small living space. _Mmm, guess Darius is off to his job. I wonder what he does?_ A little bit later than that Lux awakens to the sound of a sleepy Draven.

Lux spends the following weekend with her new friends. She learns that Darius does a wide variety of odd jobs to make ends meet. A lot of them involve heavy labor, but he doesn't seem to have any problems with this. More than once Lux has had to stop herself from staring at Darius's muscular frame. Despite being just a little bit older than she, he has a very handsome fit body. Years of hard living have toned his body, removing any excess body fat. He bears a few scars, but personally Lux thinks they look very dashing. A pattern soon arises with her visits to Noxus. Every week Lux spends hard at work in Zaun, stealing every piece of information possible. However, Lux spends her weekends in Noxus. With each passing day Lux learns something new about the city, its inhabitants, and its history. Slowly, Lux starts to completely shed her ingrained hatred of the place, and give it her basic respect. It will never be Demacia, but it isn't the hell hole Demacia claims it to be.

Yet, she knows that her carefree days in Noxus are coming to an end. Lux is running out of excuses for an extended stay in Zaun. Soon Demacia will want her back in service at home. Her days will be spent being a poster child for her home. All of her free time will be gone, and she will be put on display for the betterment of her people. In fact, her mother will probably be wanting to get her married off soon. The mere thought of dating someone ties her stomach into knots. During the course of her mission, Darius has started to court her. At first it was a sweet thought, by over time she started to return his feelings. He may be a man of few words, but he is very action orientated. Every time she returns from Zaun he has a some little gift for her.

Between his jobs, and taking care of Draven, he'll take her on long walks through the city. Although he doesn't have the money for dating, Darius has intimate knowledge of Noxus, and has shown her numerous little tucked away gardens, ponds, and quiet areas. The few times they sit down to chat, he never asks her any personal questions that make her uncomfortable. Lux respects that. They both know she has secrets, and he never pressures her over them. They have never gotten very intimate because they lack privacy, but the few kisses he has given her make her knees weak. Just the slightest thought of his dark eyes causes her to blush with pleasure. _What am I going to do? I can't tell my family that I've fallen in love with a Noxian! And, and...I can't tell Darius that he has fallen in love with a Demacian noble. Darius loves Noxus, he'll never forgive me for betraying his country. I need to leave here for good...And how can I forgive myself for deceiving like this?_

With her thoughts preoccupied Lux doesn't notice the loud commotion until she nears her home away from home. Draven is getting into a fight with someone. Not just someone, but a Noxian noble. From what Lux can tell, the person tormenting Draven is none other than Cassiopeia Du Couteau. Cassiopeia is stunning beautiful, but her beauty is only matched by her cruelty. Spoiled, vain, and dangerous, the young Du Couteau is a terror to anyone who displeases her. It doesn't take much for Draven to displease someone, but the treatment he is receiving makes Lux's blood boil hot. _That girl needs to be taught a lesson! I needed an excuse to leave for good anyways..._

"Hands off him witch!" Lux snarls. Reaching out her right arm, Lux grabs Cassiopeia's dress by the collar and yanks her off Draven. With a grunt of effort, she throws the offending noble into a nearby sewage drain.

"How! Dare! You! Do you know who I am?!" Cassiopeia shrieks with rage. Slime drips down from her head to her toes. The entire outfit is ruined, and Cassiopeia is going to need a serious bath to get out the stench.

"You are the sad excuse known as Cassiopeia Du Couteau. I know who you are, and I don't care. Don't touch my friends." Lux's voice is cheerful and light. Her blue eyes are a calculating shade of blue without an ounce of regret.

"I'll kill you! I will! I will! I will!" Cassiopeia shrieks voice getting higher with each word.

"Try it. You won't succeed bitch." Lux stands very still, body tense and ready for action. Not looking away from Cassiopeia, Lux gets ready for trouble. Sure enough, trouble comes her way. But not from Cassiopeia, but from a nearby shadow.

"Don't touch her commoner. Cassiopeia I told you not to come here," snarls a red haired woman. The aura of danger, blood and death oozes off her in thick waves.

"Excuse my sister, she is out of place. But, threatening a Du Couteau is dangerous. If I ever see you again, I'll kill you." With a flick of her hand the red hair beauty flicks some hair over her shoulder before walking past. As Cassiopeia stalks past, she spits on Lux's feet. Lux just stands still letting them brush past her. Not long after the two sisters are out of sight a familiar pair of arms embrace her from behind.

"What are you thinking?!" Darius growls. His body is stiff with emotion.

"I was teaching that little bitch Cassiopeia a lesson." Lux releases a sigh of tension and relaxes into Darius's arms. _This is it. This is the start of my goodbye._ After a quick a breather to calm down, Lux gets out of his arms and starts to walk towards his home.

"You're not a Noxian! She can have your death ordered and no one can stop her." Darius breath is harsh. These events really upset him.

"I know I'm not a Noxian. That is part of the reason why I can get away with it. My official business in Zaun is complete. I've been called home, and I will not be able to return here ever again. Darius, I'm sorry...but this is goodbye." Unable to look into his eyes, Lux squeezes his hands. She has so little time left to enjoy his company, so she might as well relish these brief moments with him while she can.

"No. You are not allowed to leave for good. Make more business in Zaun. You will come back." Darius's voice brooks no argument, he refuses to let her go from life his so soon.

"Darius, I can't come back. I have completed my missions. Now my mother will want to see me wed." Lux's voice is soft with regret. _I don't want to go back to Demacia. I want to stay with Darius, but what choices do I have?_

"No! Do you want that? Do you want to give up your freedom like this? You can't leave like this. I won't let you throw your life away. You. Will. Not. Leave. Me!" Darius's voice is harsh with fear and desperation. By now they have reached the entrance way to the alley he lives in.

"Darius it isn't that simple..." She whispers with sorrow.

"Yes it is. Marry me. If we're married you're safe from Katarina and your mother." Darius states. With a firm grip he pulls her against his chest. He wraps one arm around her waist while the other hand fishes around in one of his pockets. From deep within a pocket he pulls out a silver ring set with a small blue topaz. Darius holds up the ring in front of her.

"H-how?! That is Ionian silver...this must have cost a fortune! You can't marry me...I have so many secrets...don't be ridiculous Darius. This won't work. We won't work out. Just let me go." Lux tries to push away from him, but finds out that she is held fast against him. _I want to marry him...but once he finds out the truth he won't want me. How long has he been saving up for this ring?! I have to end this._

"I know you have secrets. But I don't care. Marry me." This time his voice has the faintest tinge of doubt, fear, and desperation in it.

"I know you come from an important family. I have nothing now, but I promise you I will become the strongest soldier in Noxus. You are the strongest mage in all of Noxus, and I will be the strongest soldier for you. I will buy you the tastiest apples, fine clothing, and everything you want. I don't care that you aren't Noxian. Don't even tell me your name if it stops you from marrying me." Again his voice is full of emotion, an emotion that causes Lux to shiver with hope. _I want this...I want him! If he doesn't want to know, then it should work out, right?_

"Yes. Yes, I'll marry you." Lux whispers softly. Darius groans with relief before he kisses her. A soft gasp of pleasure escapes her. His tongue slides into her mouth teasing her tongue, before he breaks off the kiss with a happy look on his face.

"Good! Now, let's get married. The sooner the better. I already have the paperwork...all we need is a witness and an official." Darius states smugly.

"You really planned this out, didn't you?" Lux says with a happy sigh at the turn of events. _How long has he been planning on this? He's never told me that he loves me, but actions speak louder than words._

"You will have the honor of Draven being a witness! Took you long enough to propose Darius." Draven shouts with glee from beside them. He has a smug a look on his face as Lux blushes crimson.

"Draven make yourself useful and get us a city official." Darius says calmly obviously too happy to be annoyed at his brothers spying.

"Already ahead of you bro. I already booked you the last appointment with a city clerk." Draven says.

"W-what do I do about a signature? How does this work in Noxus?" Lux says breathless. _How are things moving this fast?!_

"We pay the clerk a fee, we mark the paperwork with our blood and with a witness, and then we're married." Darius says calmly.

Although his voice is even, his eyes are filled with such an intense emotion that Lux is stunned by the force of it. Things happened quickly after that. Lux barely registers the events, all she could feel was her hammering heart. Before her is a future free of her mother. A future free of her family reputation. A future with Darius. Her mind finally gave her into her heart's desire to be with Darius. _My future is my own...my home is now with my husband, because I can never be accepted in Demacia. I never really fit in there, but I do here._ As she steps out of the clerk's office, Lux rubs her wedding band. Although by Crownguard standards the ring is common enough, it must have cost Darius a fortune. _How long has he wanted to marry me...?_ Before she can think any further thoughts her husband sweeps her up in his arms.

"Are you going to carry me all the way home?" Lux asks shyly. _Home...I have a new home now._

"Yes." Is his only reply.

Lux buries her head against his chest, ashamed to look around her. After all, here she is being carried through the city of Noxus by her new husband. _I have so much to tell him...I hope he likes blondes! I'm tired of dying my hair black._ Her heart hammers fast in her chest. Once he is finished carrying her to his _No, our..._ living space, she'll have her wedding night. _I-I-I have no idea what to do..._

Thankfully Draven is nowhere to be found. Quicker than Lux thought possible she finds herself set down gently outside of the entrance to her new home. Her face a dark shade of crimson Lux shyly ducks into the little living space. Nothing looks different, yet is feels completely different.

Out of habit, Lux sets down her satchel next to the end of the bed. A warm breath caresses her cheek before Darius kisses her neck. Brushing her hair to one side, he starts to kiss and nibble down her neck. One of his hands slides down her pants slowly brushing against the side of her panties.

"D-Darius! A-a-h-h...I've never...I don't...a-a-a-h! I-I-I..." Lux stammers. Never before has she ever felt such pleasure. A burning heat pulses from her between her legs. Parts of her ache with a need she didn't know possible.

"Trust me." Darius whispers against her skin as his fingers gently touch her.

With a flick of his tongue he licks the nook between her neck and shoulder. One strong arm holds her tight against him, while his other hand rubs her stomach. With a smooth slide forward and faint twist of his body Darius gently presses her down against the bed. Faster then she thought possible Darius strips off his shirt. Following his lead, Lux pulls off her cloak her shirt not far behind. The faintest chill brushes against her sweat slicked skin. Her husband hooks one hand around the waistband of her pants while the other hand lifts her hips off the ground. Soon her pants and undies slide off her waist and onto the ground. Darius' pants and underwear are not fair behind hers. Scooting down a bit Darius twists his tongue against one of her nipples. Gently he alternates between kissing, sucking, and nibbling on her breasts.

Lux twain's her hands into his dark hair. Her body is tingling with desire. A desperate burning need is spreading from her crotch up and down her entire body. One of Darius' hands starts circling her breast before wandering south. Lux thought her body had reached a pinnacle of pleasure but the moment his fingers started to stroke her snatch she gasped with desire.

"A-a-a-ah! D-d-d-don't stop that...p-please more...Darius...!" Lux pleads. Her hands slide off his head and grip his shoulders hard. Her body arches upwards with passion.

"You're beautiful...but things are only going to get better." Darius whispers hotly with need.

One finger slowly enters her while his thumb makes slow circles around her clit. Never before has Lux ever had anything within her before. The sensation of being filled is wonderful! Between the work of his mouth over her nipples, his thumb against her clit, and his finger slowly started to move in and out of her wet treasure Lux feels her body start to tingle. As the pleasure plunges through her, Lux arches her body against his. Her body tenses with pleasure as her first orgasm shakes her from head to toe.

"Darius!" She screams clutching her body tightly against his.

"We're not done yet my wonderful Ana...now it is my turn..." His husky voice tickles against her.

Lux instinctively spreads her legs wide apart. Darius moves his hand away from her honey pot and grips her hips. If she thought that being filled by a finger was amazing, feeling his large cock inside of her is entirely different! A whimper escapes her lips as she feels her virginity break. Her hands grasp against his back tightens at the sudden pain. As the pain from being deeply penetrated subsides, her body starts to squirm with anticipation. A part of her wants more, wants him to move!

"Trust me..." Darius mummers into her ear. Slowly he nibbles on her earlobe giving her time to adjust.

"D-Darius...please...more..." Lux begs voice husky with desire.

His hold on her hips firm, Darius starts to pump in and out of her slowly. With each time he presses his bawls against her ass Lux moans out his name. Quickly picking up the pace Darius feels his own pleasure starting to peak. Lux's body tenses as a second orgasm ripples through her.

"Darius! Darius! Darius!" Lux screams out his name as she comes.

"Ana..." Darius moans as slams his cock deep into her emptying his load into her.

"Wow..." Lux gasps. Parts of her ache, but those feelings dim compared to the warm glow coming from her heart. Darius slips out of her, before rolling onto his side. His fingers slowly stroke her hair a content smile on his face. With a wide yawn Lux snuggles up close to Darius. One of his arms snake around her waist holding her close.

"Tomorrow I will enlist early. We will have our own home soon." Darius whispers in her ear.

"Tomorrow I need to finish my last business with Zaun. I'll be gone for about a week. But, I promise you, my love, that I will return." Lux mummers. _I don't want to leave him. But, I need to finish my mission before I can disappear. It shouldn't take long to deliver the information before I can return._

"If you must." Darius mutters unhappily. Briefly he pauses, thinking.

"Are you going to tell your family about us...?" He inquires.

"No. If they were to find out...I don't know what they would do, but it wouldn't be good for either of us. I gave my word that I would deliver the information I got." Lux replies. Scooting closer to her new husband, Lux kisses his chest before drifting off to sleep. Soon she drifts off into a content slumber. Long after she starts to snore, Darius kisses her forehead briefly.

"Goodnight my beloved Ana. I love you."

~Darius PoV~

Blow upon blow hits him. Darius doesn't care much about the blows, it is the knife wounds to the face that are bothering him. Someone just tried to beat up Draven for being in the way. Draven tries to get out of the way, but the man gives him a swift kick to the side dropping him. After taking a couple knife wounds to the head, the man leaves them alone. As blood pours down his face, Darius collapses against the alleyway wall. Nothing is broken, however, the blade has something on it. Something is slowly killing him. _Shit! Draven..._

"I'll be right back!" Draven tells him frantically. All Darius can do is grunt at him, the pain intense. He knows that there is no help to be found. Even if Draven can find one to heal him, they don't have the coin to afford it. _This is it...this is how I die. I manage to save Draven one last time, I hope he can live without me._ As his vision wavers in and an out a vision of blue heaven appears before him. Someone with the most amazing blue eyes is healing him. _H-huh?_

"W-why are you helping me?" Darius gasps out confused. He doesn't believe in heaven, but the woman before him is heavenly. _Who is she? Why is she...?_ As one of her fingers traces along his wounds, he can feel the heat of the spell burning away the poison. Even though the healing burns, the relief from not dying is immense. As the pain eases away he hears her angelic voice speaking to him.

"Because Noxus needs you to be strong. Don't die here like a weakling! Be strong." Darius notices that the healing is done and the vision before him is leaving. _N-no...don't go...not yet!_ Without meaning to, Darius reaches out quickly and grabs her wrist. Whoever healed him has skin that feels perfectly smooth and soft. Blue eyes stare into his eyes with a faint tint of surprise to them.

"I will be strong." He promises, releasing her wrist. _W-what right do I have to capture an angel? All I can do is be strong for her._ At that moment his brother does the most marvelous thing. He interrupts the angel from leaving him. Instead of her disappearing in the night like a fading dream, she freezes in place. _Thank you Draven!_ Instead of brushing them off, or ignoring them the angel gives them a response they understand. Although she claims to be using them are lab rats, he knows better.

Darius can tell that Draven believes her, but he knows better. Upon hearing her name, he thinks carefully trying to think of a way to keep her from leaving. As he watches her interact with his little brother, he is amazed. Most people brush Draven off, ignore him, or tease him for his dramatic nature. Not this angel Ana, she is kind to his Draven. A kindness that no one has shown either of them before. Yet, nothing about her seems weak. With an amazing display of magic, she prepares objects to help them get clean. Again with an act of kindness with a reasonable excuse for being kind she starts to leave. _No! Don't go!_ Luckily Draven comes to the rescue with the innocent request to have her come back. As she hesitates, he quickly comes up with an excuse for her to return as well. To his relief, she agrees to return. Once she is out of eyesight, Darius stands up and starts to walk towards their home.

"C'mon Draven we got work to do." Darius tells Draven. Draven looks up at him slightly confused.

"What work? You're done for the day aren't you?" His brother asks confused.

"You want her to keep on coming back right? Well I have a plan, and here is how it'll go..." Darius explains to an eager Draven. _I hope this works..._

For the next three days the two of them desperately save as much gold as they can. Darius takes on all sorts of additional hard labor jobs, while Draven sells glasses of fresh water for a couple gold pieces a cup. By the end of the third day, they've managed to save up enough gold to treat Ana out to someplace nice. They both agree on taking her to Sinful Succulence. Darius knows Ana isn't from Noxus, and one of the most famous places to eat here is at Morgana's. _Show her all the nice places to visit, so she'll want to come back._ Several hours before the agreed meeting time it starts to rain. A cold, hard rain that doesn't let up and blocks out the fading sunlight. Without knowing the approximate time, it is hard to judge if she is late or not. Draven isn't helping by fidgeting.

"Darius, she is coming right?" Draven pleads.

"Yes, she's coming." He replies sternly. _I hope so._

"I want to get to know her better. She's really nice." Draven says simply, still watching the traffic on the street intently.

"I'd like to get to know her better too." Darius replies almost absent mindedly, eyes scanning for a pair of beautiful blue eyes.

"You like like her don't you!" Draven says gleefully punching him in the ribs.

"Draven shut up!" He grows. The last thing he needs is Draven trying to play matchmaker. It'll be hard enough convincing her to come back without Draven's interference. More time passes by without any sign of her. As Draven continues to ask if Ana is coming or not, he ruffles his brothers hair shaking out the rain. Neither of them refuse to leave their posts. Darius knows that Draven won't budge until he does, and he isn't leaving. Still, he puts in an effort to get Draven someplace dry.

"Me? Cold? Ha! I, Draven, can tolerate all kinds of weather and be fine! You should get out of the rain. I'll be fine, you won't be." Draven states this like a fact. Neither brother moves.

"She is coming, right? We didn't miss her in the rain?" Draven gives his older brother another pleading look.

"Ugh! Shut up! Of course she will! If she doesn't, I'll have some choice words to say..." Darius growls. Before he can finish the voice he desperately wants to hear hails from behind him. _Yes! She came back!_ As Draven suddenly launches himself onto her, Darius mentally sighs. _Good job Draven, soaking her through._ She gives him reassures about Draven not getting her wet, but her thoughtful comment about being shoved into a puddle causes his blood to boil slightly. _I will not let anyone shove you into a puddle!_ According to the plan, Draven leads the way towards the Sinful Succulence.

Ana in her sweet innocence just follows them. _Where in Runeterra is she from? Why is she allowing us to lead her places? No matter! She's an angel of some sort, and I'm going to make sure she stays safe._ Something about her just draws him in like a moth to a flame. At first he thought it was because of her beauty, but no. There is something more to her, something he craves with a need he doesn't fully understand.

Oh, he understands part of the need that his crotch tells him firmly, but he is attracted to more than her looks. As they walk through the mostly empty streets, Darius sticks close to her right side. Anyone who threatens her will have to go through him. By sticking on this side of her, it leaves his right arm free to attack if need be. Draven meanwhile just babbles on excitedly. Only listening with half an ear, Darius keeps alert. At least, stops listening with half an ear until Draven tries steal away his part in the treat.

Nothing is out of the ordinary as the two of place their orders. Draven orders some sort of jello, and Darius orders a simple piece of pie. Morgana gives them a scathing look as they place their orders. No surprise there, really. To his relief, Morgana treats Ana with a proper respect. It is also a relief that Morgana won't force Ana to wait outside with them. Before the two of them can leave and wait outside Ana does something extraordinary.

She stands up for them, solves the 'problem' Morgana has, and finds a place to sit in short order. He isn't sure which is more amazing, the magic she uses to get them presentable, or the manner in which she does so. _She may be kind, but I don't think it makes her weak. Standing up to well known mage isn't something done lightly, and she does it without a second thought. I hope she can back up her words. I'll be prepared for a fight just in case._ Even Draven is impressed with Ana's defending them, and of course he manages to say something about it in a dramatic manner.

"That was very...impressive. Why did you do it?" Darius's voice is low. All of his attention focuses on her, and only her. As she blushes and rambles on about spell mechanics he accepts her hurried response to drop it. She knows she did something a Noxian wouldn't normally and he knows that, and they both accept this fact. Before long Morgana approaches their table, orders in hand. His body goes tense as Ana and Morgana size each other up. To his relief Morgana backs down. There isn't just bravado behind her words, Ana has the power to back them up.

"Ana, you are a strong mage." Is all Darius says before starting to eat his dessert. Darius means this as a full complement. No matter where Ana comes from, she is no weakling. Innocent perhaps, but not weak. Soon the three of them are having a good time together, laughing at Draven's dramatics. As Morgana tells them to leave, Ana pauses in surprise. When she asks him and Draven for a safe place to stay he stares at his brother. Draven agrees with him, there is no safe place for her. Even if she has the coin to stay someplace safer, she'll never make it there alive. She's too innocent!

"You're staying with us." Darius says at the same time as Draven. With one fluid movement he stands up at the same time as his brother. Darius stands walks towards the exit first, keeping it open for the other two. Again, she follows them innocently. _How can someone so strong be so naive?_ Soon enough they reach their humble home.

"It isn't much, but it is more or less dry. You can have the blankets, so you'll be warm enough. Draven can rest next to me on the floor so you'll have the entire bed to yourself." Darius's voice is husky with emotion and desire. Here he is right next to an angel, and he needs to keep her safe. It doesn't hurt that he gets to learn more about her while keeping her from harm.

"What are you talking about, brother?! We can all share the bed. Ana is really tiny, we'll all fit. Besides, didn't you want to get to know her better?" Draven says with a smug tone much to his dismay.

"Draven...shut up!" Growls Darius.

Unable to look her in the eyes, Darius ignores her and Draven, and starts set up their bed for her to sleep on. _Draven! That idiot! He'll ruin everything!_ Strange enough, despite her very different upbringing she doesn't insult the little hole they call home. To his amazement, she steps into the center of the room and works magic. He may not know much about magic, but the things Ana is doing to their home can't be easy or effortless. _She really is an angel...where else would she get the magic and temperament to do this for us? I've always thought that love at first sight was a fairy tale, but now that I've met an angel I know better._ As she gently closes his month with finger, a jolt of desire shots through him. Parts of him that he hopes she doesn't notice grow hard. _Now all I need to do is convince her to come back! I will woo her into being my wife, I have no need for anyone else._ As he watches her drift off to sleep Draven opens his big mouth again.

"I'm going to marry her someday! I'll be married to the strongest mage in all of Noxus." Draven boasts.

"Draven, shut up!" Darius growls. _I'm going to marry her. Not because she is the most powerful mage in all of Noxus, but because she is the only woman of her kind in all of Runeterra._

During the entire night Darius listens to Ana's soft breathing. Every passing moment he spends trying to think of ways to have her come back. She seems to have a weak spot for Draven, hopefully he can use that to his advantage. If it doesn't involve hurting her feelings, he'll use it to bring her back to him.

To his relief, she agrees to come back again in one week without too much effort on his part. Every time he looks at her, he can't hide his desire for her. It is more than just being attracted to her looks, it is an attraction to her soul. Once she leaves in the morning, he sets aside a place just for savings for her. He's going to pick out a ring and save up for it.

Upon discovering why Ana is late the next week nearly gives him a heart attack. Why would in Runeterra would she go to Singed's place? Briefly he grumbles under his breath about Riven and her stupid orders. As he follows discreetly behind her parts of him freeze in terror at who answers the door. Every orphan in Noxus knows to avoid Warwick. _She won't know to be careful of him! He's a wolf and she's the sheep!_ To his relief and pride, she manages to avoid falling into one of Warwick's traps. As she rushes to get away from Warwick, he grabs hold of her in his arms, calming her down. Once she is calm, he smiles at her. Oh, he loves the attention she gives him! And parts of him enjoy the hug more than other parts. _Please don't her notice, please don't have her notice..._ he mentally says to himself as he tries to hide his erection by taking her hand and leading away from danger. The two of them tease each other lightly. Every time she gazes into his eyes, he notices her deep blush. _Success!_

After what he considers to be a successful date, Draven goes and ruins it for him. _I've already risked my life too many times from him to murder him now!_ Despite his best efforts to get Draven to scram and give him precious alone time with Ana his brother refuses to take a hint. Once he sees the little bouquet of flowers in her hands, and the smug look on Draven's face, he seriously wonders if cutting out his brothers tongue would make his Ana never forgive him. To make matters worse, once he tries to get Draven to leave on his own, Ana convinces him to have Draven stay. As the evening wears on, and questions get asked, he pays close attention to the answers she doesn't give.

For a bit now he's suspected that Ana is from Demacia, but her answers tonight confirm this. _Who would have thought Demacia is good for anything?_ His best guess is that she is a spy with too big a heart. Oh, she's sneaky enough to gather information undetected. However, she is too damned nice and innocent for her own good. All the more reason why he should marry her! He can be her partner and keep at bay the wolves who will prey on her innocence. And if he can't keep them at bay, he'll hold them still so she blast them with her magic. Either way works. As long as he can keep her safe. As she teaches him how to play to chess, he becomes ensnared by her enthusiasm for the game. This is more than a game to her, it is a way of thinking. She is very, very good at this game. However, he'll need master it and be her equal. Even if it takes him some time to reach her level. _She loves this game, and I will learn to love it for her._ A part of him just sighs at his antics. _The things people do when in they're in love. She's worth it though._

Soon enough his days fall into a nice pattern. Darius works as many as hours as he can to save up enough money to support him, his brother, and save up for marriage. As much as he wishes he can buy Ana the biggest, most expensive ring, he hopes she'll be happy with what he picks out. Ana comes over and stays with them on the weekends between her 'work' in Zaun. Every weekend he takes her out on dates all over the city. Darius knows he can't afford to treat her like a princess, so he tries to show her the little things in Noxus that will appeal to her. Once or twice he manages to steal a kiss while they walk through small tucked away gardens. The feel of her lips against his, and the way her knees go weak, and so much more about her heightens his desire. Once he manages to buy the ring he set his eyes on, he starts to go about doing research for their wedding night. Oh! He won't actually practice with anyone, but he can certainly watch and learn. As midsummer approaches Darius discovers something alarming.

Ana is becoming very preoccupied with thoughts beyond her mission. By now he recognizes the distant, thoughtful look she gets in her eyes when presented with a difficult problem or puzzle. And now he knows that her family in Demacia is a problem. _I have to propose to her soon! I can't let her get away like this. I know she isn't happy in Demacia, and I know I can make her happy here, with me._

It isn't until she gets into fight with the Du Couteau sisters does he start to actively panic. A deep fear of their future fills him as they talk. He can't protect her from Katarina! He can't protect her from anything if she won't let him. Darius listens to her reasons for not marrying him, but he refuses to accept them. With each objection she has, he counters her. _I won't let you go back to Demacia just to be married off like a prize mare! You won't be happy that way, and I want you to be happy. I want you to be happy with me._ It doesn't surprise him that she is reluctant to marry him because of her birthplace. He assures her that he doesn't care. After they've been married for a while, he'll let her know he knows she's Demacian. That he knows and doesn't care.

Once she finally agrees to marry him, his entire world becomes perfect for a brief moment. Draven for once proves himself to be extremely useful and equally annoying. As he carries her to his, no their room, his heart races. Soon it'll be their wedding night. Parts of him can barely wait, eager to finally have all of her to himself. Another part of him is very sad that Ana deserves the best, and all he can offer her is inexperienced romantic love making a small abandoned cubby hole. Once the afterglow of their wedding night fades, Darius holds her close as she drifts off to sleep in his arms. Never before has he felt such pleasure. Even the mere memory of her screaming his name in pleasure causes parts of him harden again. _No! Not now! Now she's sore and sleepy, not ready for me to go again. There is more time that later._ Once he feels that she is completely asleep, safe in his arms does he whisper the words he wishes he could say while she is awake.

"Goodnight my beloved Ana. I love you" He whispers as he kisses her forehead. _Someday I'll have the perfect chance to tell you that I love you when you're awake. Until then, you'll just need to wait until I'm ready. I wish romantic words aren't such a pain! We have time though. We have our entire future together._

 _/_

Tada! A revised chapter one! Plus much, much more!


	2. ABLADD2

Hello again! Here is chapter two. I have a lot more planned. Thank you for the reviews. Reviews make my world go around. As to the ages...Lux is 17, Darius is just over 18, Draven is 12-ish, Cass is 11-ish, and Katarina is 17ish. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Heads up! This chapter is a bit...sad...yeah...but enjoy!

**Note I just cleaned up this chapter. I know it'll be a shock from the fluffiness of the first chapter. The following chapter will also be dark, but the fluffy will return!

/

Lux woke up several hours later, her body sore. Despite being sore, she has never felt so good. Beside her Darius is sound asleep. Silently Lux eases herself out of bed careful not to disturb her husband. The barest tinges of morning sunlight are coloring the horizon. With a contented yawn she stretches out her sore muscles and dresses in one set of clothing. The sooner I finish my finish my business in Demacia the sooner I can return. A content smile spreads across her face as she ducks out the exit. Sitting cross legged across from the exit is a smirking Draven.

"How's it going sis? You certainly enjoyed last night..." Draven says with a smirk on his face.

"Draven that is none of your business! I've got business to attend to. I should be back within a week." Lux states calmly. Despite her level tone of voice, her face is beet red. With a small wave at her new brother-in-law Lux starts to head towards the exit.

"Oh? Where are you doing?" Draven inquires. Without missing a beat Draven catches up with Lux and walks beside her.

"I need to finish my business with Zaun." She says simply. Once Lux exits the alleyway she flips up the hood on her cloak obscuring her face.

"Oh! Are you doing to tell your family about us?" He asks curious.

"No I'm not." Lux says curt. Telling my family will be suicide.

"Why not? What will they do? Kill you?" Draven says with a loud laugh.

"Actually, yes. They might just do that." Lux says with remorse. With that said, she picks up the pace trying to get her business done with.

"What?! Why would they do that?! How could they kill their own daughter..." Draven yelps with surprise.

"It's complicated Draven. One day I'll explain it. I gave my word that I would deliver the information I got in Zaun. And I gave my word to Darius, and I'll give it to you...I will be back within a week." Lux gives him an apologetic smile. With a small wave of her fingers, Lux goes invisible before running towards the exit. Goodbye Draven...goodbye Darius...I'll be back as soon as I can. If I can...

It should take her two or three days to reach Demacia. Lux starts plotting her way in and out of Demacia. This won't be easy. She needs to deliver the message in person, pack up her bags, then leave before anyone could stop her. A pleasant summer breeze brushes against her. All around her birds are chirping, crickets sing in the grass, and the aroma of flowers float lazily past her. Never before has Lux seen such a marvelous summer day. Despite being sore in places she has never been sore before, Lux is happy. The outside world matches her inner feelings completely. Faster then she would have thought, twilight approaches. There aren't any small towns nearby, so she gets to camp outdoors. Lux doesn't mind. The weather is perfect and she has enough gear to be comfortable.

As she drifts off to sleep visions of Darius keep her company. A part of her misses him terribly. Lux wants to be with him. She wants his calming presences, his friendly protectiveness, his everything! Not to mention the things he can do with his fingers. A blush that travels up and down her body. Soon enough she drifts off to sleep.

The next morning Lux wakes up nauseous. Barely managing to miss throwing up on her cloak Lux empties the meager contents of her supper. Ugh! I'm sick. How unlucky can I can get...? I better make sure it isn't serious. Gently pressing her fingers against her stomach Lux runs a simple diagnostic spell. Her magic will tell her how serious this is and if she needs to get to a doctor sooner rather than later. What she finds out leaves her numb. She isn't sick...she's pregnant! Oh no...no...no...! I didn't think...it shouldn't have...now I really have to be careful! If anyone in Demacia finds out...no! I can't let that happen. I wonder what Darius will think? What should I do? Lux hesitantly rubs her hand against her tummy.

It is too soon to know the gender of her child. She nibbles thoughtfully on her lower lip. With a firm shake of her head, Lux clears away her dark thoughts. Nothing she can do about it now, all she can do is complete her mission and go back to Darius. It doesn't take her long to pack up her bags and move onward. What had once been a beautiful summer day, is now clouded with doubts. Even if her family caught her, she couldn't them touch Darius, or Draven. What happens to her is her own fault for getting caught, but she will keep them a secret. There isn't a way to force her to tell anyone who her husband is. Now though, now things are more complicated. Now she has an unborn child to care for. Unknowingly Lux holds her left hand over her stomach. If she wasn't terrified for the safety of her baby, Lux would be overjoyed. Now I have another reason to be extra careful!

"Captain Crownguard here is my report. I have gathered several useful spells from Zaun. I also managed to steal some blueprints we can give to our allies in Piltover." Lux reports deadpan. Garen as usual isn't paying her much attention. All he is interested in are the results. It is taking all of her self control, not to mention a lot of magic, to maintain her usual disinterested report. Please let this be over soon!

"You have done acceptable work. Mother is looking for you. I suggest you talk to her promptly. You are dismissed." Garen says without emotion. Already putting her results in a neat pile of paperwork, Garen looks down at his work.

"Very well Captain Crownguard." Lux gives her brother the customary bow of respect before leaving his office.

Once she is out of sight of her brothers office, Lux drops her disguise spell. Droplets of sweat roll down her forehead. Her palms are sweaty as well. If anyone asks why I'm sweating I'll say it is because of the summer heat. As she walks to her rooms, Lux takes some time to admire Demacia. The sweeping towers, radiant buildings, clean streets, and everything else is so different from Noxus. A part of her knows that she will miss her old home. After all, this is what she grew up with! Someone once told her, 'Home is where the heart is' and her home is now with Darius. Yet, how long has Demacia been her home? For the longest time it is all she has known. And for the longest time, it has been her prison. Here she no freedom to be herself. Every moment of day she has to be the Lady of Luminosity, a perfect role model to her people.

No one seems to understand that she isn't be happy here. After all, she has everything! Good food, fine clothing, excellent housing, the best education, friends, being born into one of the most noble houses...yet, her life is lacking in love. Lux can't remember the last time she has received a hug from anyone other than Darius or Draven. I'll miss how this place looks, but I won't miss how it feels. Again she wonders where things went wrong with Demacia and Noxus. Sure, their core differences are over moral values, but that does it mean in the end?

People are still people, the only difference is the methodology in how they act day by day. Demacia prides itself on being the moral standard to Runeterra, yet...are they really such a good example? Everything here is black or white, good or evil...right and wrong. For all her people preach about compassion, there is still vast amounts of suffering. People still rot in prison, people go hungry, and people are still murdered. There is still crime here, it is just less noticeable then Noxus. I will be glad to be free of this place. At least the taint in Noxus is obvious... instead of swept under the rug and hidden like it is here.

So far Lux's luck has held. No one stops to question her, no one tries to get her attention, and no one seems to be on alarm. The one person she is trying to avoid the attention of is her mother. Lux's eighteenth birthday is coming up in less than a week. Now that she has completed several risky, high rewarding, popularity gaining missions, her mother Lilia will want her wed. After all, it is her place as the daughter of a noble house to produce more heirs for Demacia. With her amazing magical powers, beautiful looks, and intelligence Lux knew that there are already several young men vying for her hand. Her mother must already be planning a whole season of balls, parities, and luncheons to show her off to all potential husbands. Lilia isn't entirely cold hearted Lux knows, her mother will to give her some choice in the matter of her future husband. However, that awful fate has been dealt away with. Ever since she married Darius, her future is her own. Should the worst happen, and her mother find out that Lux eloped, Lilia couldn't force Lux to marry again. No longer a virgin, no respectable man in Demacia would want to marry her for simple nobility breeding purposes. I don't want to die...I don't want to lose my child, but the future I was facing before meeting Darius was worse than death. A life of being nothing more than a puppet to society, being forced to marry just to have children...no! I don't want that life!

Lux anxiously decides what to bring with her. For all the times she doesn't spend in her room, there are several things she doesn't want to leave behind. Little keepsakes from her childhood, memories of a happier time in her life. A smooth blue pebble from a trip to the beach. The black satin hair ribbon from her favorite uncle who passed away years ago. What troubles her the most is a small velvet stuffed horse. It is impractical bring, yet, it is one of her most important possessions.

Her grandmother made that little cream horse for her when she was really little. In fact, it was watching her gentle grandmother work magic to make simple things like this inspired her to be such a diverse mage. It wasn't from her parents, her teachers, her siblings, or even society that inspired her to an ordinary mage who has mastered so many spells, but her humble grandmother who never forgot a spell. Lux knows she can't bring photos because of the setting in them, but her fingers linger over the ones highlighting her happier parts of life. The one photo that brings her the most pain to leave behind is the only one she has of her grandmother. Again, her fingers linger over the small cream horse. Its velvety coat has worn thin in several places. The yarn mane is almost bald by this point. Both blue glass eyes are chipped, and clouded with age. Yet, yet...this is traceable. If she brings this humble toy with her, her parents could track her down. They could find her, find Darius, find Draven...and more importantly, find her baby. No...for the sake of my family I can't bring General Clopsdale with me. With a gentle kiss on the beloved toys forehead, Lux gently places it down on her bed and turns to leave.

As she turns to head out the door, Lux smiles at the simple wedding ring on her finger. Once she looks up to finally head out, she freezes in place. Hands on her hips, with a glare that could kill, and magic leaking off her in heated waves is her mother. No...no...NO! Fear freezes her in place. For as long as she can remember, her mother instills discipline. Nothing is more frightening then her mother when angry, and Lux has never seen her mother this mad before. Despite all the magic she knows, has mastered in her years of espionage in Noxus and Zaun, Lux forgets how to move. Unable to run, unable to hide, unable to even speak Lux waits for her mother's wrath. Lilia Crownguard doesn't scream when angry. Nor does she yell, shout, or raise her voice. Instead she uses actions to get her emotions across. Lux knows this, and waits for the pain.

"Luxanna Crownguard tell me you didn't. Please tell your loving mother that you didn't elope with someone in Zaun. I only want the best for you, and you're too young to know how to love." Lilia's voice is smooth as silk, and as sharp as a razor blade.

"Mama I-I-I...he's a good man mama." Lux gulps nervously. Frantically she searches for an exit. Any exit. Time...I need time! I need time to plan an escape before she kills me...and my baby...

"Oh my poor, poor baby...you clearly need my guidance. What the name of the famous inventor you foolishly married..." Lilia purrs softly. A small, swift flick of her index finger causes a bright yellow light to flash across every single window. The only in and out of the room is through the front door, the door that Lilia is standing in front of. Lux knows she can't beat her mama in a fair fight, and it is looking like a fight might be her only option for freedom. Carefully Lux starts positioning herself to the right. Her mother is weakest on her right side. Without moving a muscle, Lilia closes the bedroom door with her magic.

"He isn't famous yet mama...he's just an or..." Before Lux can finish explaining a bolt of red light lashes against her skin.

"Ahhhhh! M-mama...please...s-stop..." Lux screams in agony. Her mother doesn't say a word. She doesn't need to considering the look of pure hate on her face. Lash after lash of red hot magic flashes across Lux's skin.

"You. Stupid. Bitch! You ruined the Crownguard name! How dare you! After all the money we put into your education! All the effort we put into your breeding! All of my effort wasted because you're too young to know any better!" Lux's mother screeches. With each word a lash of energy lays into Lux's skin. If she wasn't in so much pain, Lux would be amazed at the loud tone. But the burning agony is too much for her to notice. Gasping for breath, Lux curls up into a ball on the floor. Tears stream down her face, all thoughts of freedom gone. All she wants now is for the pain to go away. D-Darius...I'm sorry...!

"Who did you marry?! If I can find him in time we might be able to salvage this! If he is a dead then no one else can learn..." Lilia rants. Again, with each word bolts of magic dash onto Lux. With a deep breath, Lilia pauses.

"Luxanna, sweetie...tell your mother who you married. I love you, I can still fix this for you..." Lilia coos softly. One long finger trails against Lux's tear streaked cheeks. Despite all the pain, all of her fear of her mother, and the desire to live to see another day overrides her desperation to be free of pain. The sudden realization that Lilia will kill Darius the moment she learns his name. Kill Draven. She's as good as dead, but if she even mentions those names...they'll die. It doesn't matter that they are nameless orphans in the heart of Noxus, her mother will find them and have them executed. Lilia Crownguard is rich enough, and influential enough to pull off their murders. N-n-no! You won't hurt Darius! I won't let you kill them!

"N-no." Lux grinds out between clenched teeth. There is a moment of silence before the pain rain downs on her again. This time her mother doesn't say a word, but the room glows from all of the magic lashing against Lux's body.

"It is a pity that you became sick Luxanna. So, so sick that you can't even leave your room. We don't want anyone else getting ill, do we sweetie? Don't worry, your mommy is here to care for you. I'll talk to you tomorrow. I can still fix this." Lilia Crownguard snaps her fingers twice. Curtains fall over the windows blocking out all light. Latches slide into place locking the windows shut. Without a further look, Lux is left alone in her room.

An unknown amount of time passes before she can move again. Fingers bent with effort, Lux starts to crawl towards her private bath. Each inch forward is agony. Every part of her hurt. Yet, yet she needed to reach her bath. At some point during the magical beating, Lux had started to get a burning cramp in her lower stomach. Sometime after the beating, Lux felt a hot moisture running down her legs. My...my...my baby...no...please no...Hours later she reaches the bathing room. Between the bloody underwear, the empty feeling in her magic Lux knows she lost her baby. Without even knowing the gender, or even being given a name, losing her child cut her deeply. A part of her has been ripped away. A piece of Darius, a piece she can never get back, is gone because of her foolishness. I never should have come back...I never should have...I never should...Somehow Lux manages to change into clean clothing. The evidence of her baby is soon thrown into the trash. If her mother ever found the evidence she might be able to trace the DNA back to Darius. I won't survive this...but..but...but...Darius won't die for my mistake...Without remembering how, Lux manages to crawl into her bed.

Sometime the next day hell on Runeterra returns to Lux's room. Without warning a bucket of ice cold water splashes all over her. Desperately trying to figure out what is happening, Lux tries to get out of bed. Before she can finish sitting up, a familiar hand grips her face.

"Good morning Luxanna. Good to see you made it to bed sweetie. Now, let's not have a repeat of yesterday. Tell me the name of your husband. I can still fix this." Lilia states calmly. Lux's scared blue eyes gaze back into her mother's equally cold eyes. No positive emotion comes from her mother's eyes. Just a hard determination to get what she wants, at whatever the cost.

"No." Is the only reply Lux gives. Long sharp finger nails, painted a lovely shade of silver rake down her cheek. Without looking back at her mother, Lux finds her head whipping to the side at the force of a slap.

"Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry. But I'll need to punish you until you do what is right." Once that cold emotionless statement is heard, pain flashes through her.

Lux loses all track of time, only knowing that her entire world is agony. At some point the pain recedes. Again without knowing how, Lux manages to reach her bathing room. Here she discovers that her mother put a null magic spell on her. No matter how much she tries, Lux can't manage to do even the simplest of spells. Wide, red raw strips of skin coat her body. It doesn't take much movement to peel skin off her wounds and leave blood in its place. A familiar glint of blue catches her eyes. Her mother hasn't tried to take her wedding ring yet. I have to hide this before mama can get a hold of it...she can trace this to Darius...I'm such a fool. With a concentration Lux didn't know she could reach, she manages to take off her ring. In a corner of her room, hidden underneath a rug, is a small hole in the floor. Lux accidentally blew a hole in the floor that she never got around to fixing. Focusing entirely on dropping her wedding ring into a place where she can never reach it again, Lux whispers goodbye to the future she had with Darius. With the disappearance of the ring parts of Lux die inside. It takes all of her effort, but Lux manages to drop her wedding ring down the hole without leaving any evidence of her movement.

With the last of her will, Lux crawls back onto her wet bed. Shivering with cold and hurt emotions, she manages to drift off into a troubled slumber. Again, the next day icy cold water splashes all over her. This time, however, she is expecting this so she doesn't bother to move. Again her mother asks her the simple question, and again Lux gives her simple reply. Perhaps her body is growing used to the pain, or her nerves are dying, but the pain isn't as bad this time. Near the end her mother grips her left hand, looking for her ring. A soft tsk, tsk, tsk is all Lux can hear.

"Luxanna, sweetie, why must you make this so difficult? I can tell that the pain isn't nearly as effective this time...so I'm going to try something else. I'll make this all better." Lilia coos. With a soft double snap of her fingers, all the wounds on Lux heal. Her bed gets dry and comfortable again. Lux mentally cringes. Her mother never doesn't anything nice on purpose when she's giving out punishment...Lux gasps in surprise as her mother pulls her up out of bed by her neck.

"I've put a sustain spell on you. You can't die from hunger or thirst...but you'll still be hungry and thirsty. Perhaps an empty stomach, and a dry throat will change your mind. Goodnight sweetie. And remember Luxanna, I'm only doing these things for you..." Lilia purrs before releasing her hold on Lux's neck. The soft click click click of high heels on hard marble flooring echo out of her room as Lux is once again left alone.

The time following that moment from physical lashes to gut wrenching starvation warps time for Lux. Without sunlight coming in from the windows, it is hard to judge the exact passing of time. Every day her mother appears once to ask her the simple question, and each time Lux gives the same response. Her mother alternates her methods on extracting an answer, but no matter what punishment Lux is given, all she replies with is no. She doesn't ask for mercy, no begging for food or drink, just a simple no each time her mother talks to her. Lux isn't certain how much time passes since she returned to Demacia. More than a week certainly. A small part of her wonders what Darius will think of her. She's never broken a promise before, and yet she broke one of the most important ones she's ever given. Draven will surely mention her statement about getting killed. He must think I'm dead...I wish I were dead...but I can't do anything...

As her pain continues, the less she thinks of Darius. The fond memories of his smile, his gentle touch, his friendly humor, loving protection start to fade into gray nothingness. Instead a burning hatred for her mother replaces it. Her mother who tore her away from home. Her mother who thoughtlessly gave her only daughter Demacia for her own reputation. Her mother who gave no love to her daughter, only calculating abuse for her own means. We're...we're taught to never retreat...to never surrender...and...and...I won't! But I will do whatever I can to kill Lilia Crownguard and return to Darius. Between the moments of unending pain, thirst, and hungry Lux plots her revenge. Somehow she has to convince her mother to stop torturing her, and to trust her! Yet, yet...if she tells the truth Darius and Draven will die, and if she gives her a false name her mother would surely figure it out...I'll just have to cheat. My mother still considers me to Demacian, so playing pretend might work if I do it right. I've never been able to lie to family before...but this time I don't have a choice! As Lilia walks out of Lux's room, Lux focuses herself. Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will change my fate, and get revenge. I've always wanted to cheat on a test...

/

I do have more story planned. And, yeah, this chapter is a bit sad. The next chapter will be from Darius point of view. And the chapter after that...well...you'll need to wait until I post it! Just a heads up though...I'm more motivated to write quicker when people write me reviews. Reviews make my world go around. Notice me review senpai?


	3. ABLADD3

A cold rain pours down on Noxus. Anyone with common sense, and the love of being warm, are staying indoors. However, there are two young men who refuse to go inside. The two of them stand watch outside of an alleyway. If one looks close enough, one can see a family resemblance between the two. The youngest of the two, who looks to be about twelve, give or take a year, is fidgeting. Nervously he shifts from one foot to the other. Despite being soaked from head to toe he seems oblivious to the cold. Eyes filled with a sorrow beyond his young years look out into the empty street. Not a soul travels past despite the desperate look on the young boys face. A heart breaking look in his eyes would bring even the toughest soul stop, but it is the look of the older brother that would make one pause and stare.

Still as a marble statue is another young man. His face already shows scares of harsh living on the streets. One long jagged scar crosses down across one eye, and white hairs already start to streak up his hair line. His body is strong and muscular, with a strength to it beyond his years. Unlike the desperate look on his brothers face, his face is icy still. The look in his eyes is one of a man who lost everything dear to him, however. Haunted, sorrowful eyes stand out from his rigid posture. For two weeks these brothers have stood watch outside of this particular alleyway. Nothing will make them budge from their post. Sometimes one of them will bring back food and drink, but isn't gone from his post for long. As the night sets on this thirteenth rain soaking day the oldest finally leaves his post.

"Come on Draven. Let's go inside. She isn't coming back." His voice is empty sounding.

"But Darius! It has only been two weeks! Surely she just got delayed on the road...right...?" Draven pleads voice cracking. He is too young to remember losing his parents so this young woman's disappearance is his first family death.

"No, Draven. She's gone. Her family must have caught her. Now all we can do is move on." Darius's voice is still empty, seemingly without purpose.

With one firm hand he gently shoves his brother away from the entrance to the alley. With a despondent groan Draven turns away from the entrance and drudges back towards their little home. Close behind him is his older brother. Despite the freezing cold rain outside, the their little home is dry and warm. The two of them wrap up in warm blue blankets, and Draven curls into a small ball on the bed. With his back to the entrance he cries away his sorrow. Unlike his brother, Darius sheds no tears. No, tears are a weakness and he will not be weak!

He never should have let her leave. Darius knew that Ana was Demacian. A spy he'd somehow managed to corrupt away from her true purpose. And for that, he is glad. All Noxians are raised on the stories of how weak and pathetic Demacians are. No, Ana is nothing like the stories. She is strong in all ways. Despite being kind towards others, this is part of what makes her strong. Ana has the magical ability and the personality to back up her attitude. Anyone who bothers her for her supposed weakness was given a rude surprise by the fierceness of a warrior who stands by her beliefs. How many people have backed down from her? I never should have let her leave! Damn it. I knew the consequences, why did I let her go? A sad smile briefly crosses his face before returning to nothingness. Because she gave her word she would return from her mission, and nothing stops her from keeping her promises.

That was one of the things he loves about her her unwavering conviction to her word. Ana will back down from no one to fulfill her promises, it was a true strength any Noxian should be honored to have. It is also her promises that make Darius knew she was dead. She loves him, and she promised she would return. Nothing would have stopped her short of death. Ana is an amazing mage with numerous spells at her disposal. Escaping a Demacian prison should be no problem for her.

He'd never had the chance to tell her how much he cared for her. Romantic words are hard for him, he'd assumed he'd have time to tell her properly. Darius had never believed as a child in love at first sight, but upon meeting Ana he learned better. Now though...now his chance is gone forever to tell her the truth.

A burning rage starts to fill his chest, a hot hatred of Demacia and all their ilk. One of their own had done nothing wrong but fall in love with someone different! What about their supposed righteous morals?! Pathetic weaklings who didn't deserve the air they breathe. Ana once just asked me to be strong for Noxus. I will be the strongest! Noxus will rise and we will crush every Demacian beneath our boots. I will see the end of their pitiful existence! Destroying Demacia will be no easy task, but he will see it done. First he needs to be charge of the Noxian military. No, he doesn't want to be the Head General. His goal is simple, he has no desire to rule over Noxus. The fastest way to rise to power is through the military. He should be able to recruit in the military tomorrow. With his goal set in his mind, Darius turns to look at his sleeping brother. I can provide for the two us until he is old enough to join the military himself. Settling down for the night, Darius thinks of Ana before sleep claims him.

It doesn't take much for the military to take him in early. After all, he has no papers proving he is too young to enlist. With all the bloodshed on the front lines, fresh soldiers are always welcome. Darius ignores the snide remarks from his comrades in arms. Ambitious people are noticed early, and he has high ambitions in the military. No one gives him any credit for success considering his past. None of that stops him. Every waking hour he throws his mind, body, and soul into conditioning to being the best. Besides, if his body is too sore from work then he doesn't have energy to miss Ana. At the oddest times he will remember her, and each time she comes to mind a sharp stabbing pain goes through him. Instead of rejecting the pain, he embraces it as motivation. However, the happier times he thinks of her shrink, and his never ending hatred of Demacia grows more in his thoughts.

As Darius goes up the ranks in the military, his view of Noxus changes a bit. Instead of blind devotion to his city-state, he grows to see his birthplace as the place with one true strength to rule the world. He'll watch Noxian troops band together to fight opposing Demacian forces. A true sense of family can be found among them, unlike the false morals that held Demacia together. All of Demacia would fall before Noxus, but his people deserve to rule over everyone. Only they knew the right way to live, unlike the fake pretenses of the city-states surrounding them. Runeterra will be a better place free of Demacia, and under the rule of people who know how to the job right.

Despite not having his own command yet, Darius studies the successful commanders around him. Some of them were more favorable than others, but all what mattered was success. When he isn't practice fighting, observing others, he will read up on battle strategies. He isn't entirely certain where he heard the phrase, but a great commander is a well read commander. By knowing the successes, and failures of those before him, Darius will carve the path to victory. One thing he sees in several commanders is selfishness, and it disgusts him.

There is more to power then satisfying your own desires it is about bringing glory to Noxus. Once you have serve the true purpose of the military, then you can do what you want. The really clever leaders would wrap up their bloody needs in victories for the betterment of Noxus, but Darius knows better. In order to have true strength, you need to have the support of the military behind you.

It is one thing to order your troops to victory, it is a completely different matter to have them obey those orders blindly. The best leaders inspired the troops to glory, not just using fear to reach their own means. In order to crush all of Demacia and bring eternal glory to Noxus, he'll need the devotion of the troops. It is such thoughts that are on his mind before this upcoming battle.

Darius is not impressed with his current commander. The man is a coward, and fool. How many times does he back off when victory is within view? In fact, such a problem is facing them now. The Demacian forces do out number them, but only in numbers. They are low on supplies, their weapons in shoddy repair. Just because there are more of them didn't mean that they can't be killed in battle! All his fellow soldiers need is a little morale, and they can charge to victory. A morale his current commander isn't inspiring. His hands grip the handle of his axe tightly at the sight before him. The men around him are well rested, well fed, and strong whereas he could see the exhaustion in the opposing forces. The only difference between the two armies is numbers. A red haze fill his eyes as his commander issues another retreat.

"No! We will not run! We will win this! Out of my way weakling!" Darius yells with rage. He will not retreat again. Before him are Demacians waiting to slaughtered, and his hatred of them will be not held back. He can win this, he will win this, and he will bring victory his comrades. With a wide swing of his axe Darius beheads his commander. Without looking back, he strides off towards the enemy. With a loud cheer behind him, his fellow soldiers charge ahead. What happens next is a complete bloodbath. He refuses to let a single Demacian escape alive. This, this is a glorious chance for advancement! Here he can prove his leadership, and extract more power over the Noxian military. They will all die! None will survive my wrath!

After his glorious battle he returns with victories to his new command. All of the men who survived the battle are extremely loyal to him. He has the start of his loyalty base in the military and he will not waste it. With each victory he won't just celebrate. He looks after his men first, putting his needs second. Despite his hatred of Demacia, it is his men that his revenge possible. They have friends, families, children. His men have what he almost did and they deserved the power to keep them in their lives. Darius learns every name of his men, the names of the girlfriends, lovers, wives, and children. Each man has a story, and that story helps drive them to success. By knowing their stories, he knows what motivate them. They knew he care about their stories, and they follow him blindly because of it.

There is a stumbling block in rising up in the ranks. Darius can only rise so far by using the devotion in his men. What he needs to learn is politics, and he hates politics. Petty feelings ruled over the ruling class, and are ruining Noxus. Darius watch the aristocrats bury his country in political waste. Where they could be driving Noxus to greatness, they wallow in their luxury ignoring the populace. So many of the Noxian High Command make him sick to his stomach. Noxus will rise, and he will purge his country of the rot in by force even if he has too. Until that point though, he'll try learning politics. One thing did become apparent though. Between his looks, reputation, and status he's drawing the attention of several women in t he nobility.

Darius has no interest in other women. He's had some sex while out in the field; a good way to bond with the single men is to enjoy the camp whores together. However, none of the women he fuck are pleasing to him. Oh, he was popular among the women, but none are appealing to him. It is part of his allure among the nobility; so many of them want to earn the affection of the great Commander Darius! An unpleasant thought is rolling around his head. It will be so much more effective to gain power with the influence of nobility behind him. And if he is popular among the female nobility, it would give him the political leverage he needs to get revenge.

So, while practicing charm he starts to seduce the women interested him. A part of him is at disgusted their wanton desires, at their sole desire for their own pleasure. A part of him grows numb inside at what he is doing for power, but he vows to let nothing stop him from reaching his revenge. After all, he can't cheat on a dead wife. Yet, after every orgasm the briefest flashes of Ana's disappointed face would come to mind. It feels good to climax, but a part of himself hates what he is doing. No matter how experienced, or inexperienced his lovers are, none of can compare to the night he spent with Ana. Darius isn't certain what sest that night apart, but no one can bring him to true peak of pleasure he had that night. Once he reaches the point of power he needs, he'll cast aside lovers for the sake of politics. When he is granted the title of Lord Darius a part of him smiles inside. Now he is free of the women he needs to use for power; now he can focus solely on his own goals of vengeance.

It is a relief to be out in the battlefield with his men. Life is so much simpler out in battle. He doesn't have to worry about petty politics, clingy manipulative women, or perfect table manners. Here, on the battlefield he can himself with his men. That, and there is a personal advantage to being in command on the battlefield. Darius has the power to detain and question Demacian nobility about Ana. It is delicate work extracting the information he wants, but he'll get it eventually. So far he hasn't had any luck. No one will talk about a black haired, blue eyed mage in the nobility. It is if she doesn't exist to them. How many people has he questions over the years? It has been several years. He's been about nineteen he married Ana, now he is twenty-seven or so now.

"Commander Darius! We have important news, Sir. Our scouts in the western hills managed to capture a Demacian Emissary when they ambushed a transport. Among the survivors is one of the nobility. You'll like this, it is Lilia Crownguard." Darius smiles at this news. Among of the most notable noble families in Demacia is the Crownguards. He's wanted a chance to interrogate a Crownguard for years now.

"Well done Captain Larson. You are dismissed. I will talk to the prisoner now. Go tell the men to break out the beer! This is a momentous capture." Darius states calmly. He knows that his men could use the beer, and this will be a good reason to break it out for them.

"Yes Commander! Thank you Commander!" Captain Larson exclaims happily.

Slowly standing up from his desk, Darius stretches his back. His travel desk, a sturdy piece of oak with a golden hue, is well worn. A downside to being in high command is paperwork, but he refuses to let others do his job for him. There are some reports he could let others do, but he won't be lazy and force it on his men. With ease, he straightens his paperwork before heading out. As he walks out of the tent he grabs his handy axe. The familiar weight gives him reassurance. He knows a bit about Lilia Crownguard, she is rumored to be a powerful mage in Demacia. If his men have captured her, her magic will be neutralized, but he can never be too careful. A shiver of anticipation goes down his spine at the thought of interrogating such an important noble. Nothing like torturing one of the people who stole away his Ana to make his revenge more complete.

As Darius strides confidently into the tent containing prisoners he takes stock of his captive. Lilia Crownguard is beautiful. Long honey brown hair flow freely down her back. Piercing blue eyes stare ahead without fear. Smooth, flawless alabaster skin flush hot with rage. Something about her reminds him of Ana. Yes, she will have the knowledge I want. Finally some results! With a confident smirk Darius stalks over to Lilia and pulls up a chair sitting down next to her. With a gaze hot with anger, blue eyes glare at him.

"I'm not afraid of you Noxian scum! I fear nothing you can do to me. Kill me and be done with it." She snarls at him.

"I don't plan to kill you. I'd like some answers. You cooperate, and I'll let you go." Darius states calmly. Of course, this is a lie. He has no plans to let her go alive. However, if she provides the information he wants so badly, he'll give her a clean, quick death. She gives him no reply. Gently he raises his axe and holds it against her throat. The slightest beads of blood draw along the edge, and drip down his blade.

"No need to be difficult about this. I just want some simple information. All you need to give me is a yes and you could be free. About eight years ago I encountered a young Demacian mage. She called herself Ana. She had black hair and blue eyes. Do you know of her?" Darius waits for the usual response - confusion. Instead this time he gets a completely different response. Lilia's eyes grew wide with shock and recognition before narrowing with hate. With a snarl she spites in his face.

"Yes. Now let me go." Her voice is soft, but deadly.

"Ah! I've waited a long time for a response like yours." With an indifferent wipe of his hand Darius removes the spittle from his face before withdrawing his axe from her throat.

"Tell me what you know, and you'll be free to go. I'll even provide a mount and supplies." Darius voice is calm, almost friendly. Lazily he leans back in his chair, letting his weapon slide to his side. His eyes show nothing but causal interest. However, deep inside a maelstrom of intense emotions swirl. After years of fruitless searching, he's finally found someone with answers! Of course, she isn't going to be let free. After all, no Demacian gets away with spitting on him.

"There is nothing to tell. She was nothing more but a minor noble to an inferior house. We discovered that harlot had betrayed us, so we killed the whore. There is your answer." Lilia's voice is filled with venom. Not only did this Lilia person know his Ana, there was personal hate between the two.

"Surely you know more than that. Go on tell me what happened to her." His voice remains calm, and grows friendlier yet the emotions in him heighten. A part of him he thought long buried stirs with anger at the sound of this pitiful woman slandering his Ana's name. Even when I get the answers I want, I'm going to kill you painfully for saying such things about my wife.

"All you need to know is that the little bitch is dead, killed by my own hand." This time Lilia leans back with a smirk. Darius goes completely still. Not only has he found someone who knows about Ana, but he manages to find the very person responsible for killing her. Today is a good day. A big part of my revenge will be complete by the end of the night. Now to just get a little bit more information, then my axe can sing.

"And how did you kill her? Don't you Demacians belief in justice, surely she got a swift death?" Darius leans forward slightly. After all these years, he can finally learn the truth.

"No. The little slut refused to give us any information. So I tortured her to death. She died screaming in agony, the little hooker deserved what she got." Lilia smiles smugly with that response. She knows the truth, and what the Commander doesn't know won't hurt him. With a low menacing snarl Darius grabs Lilia by the hair and pulls her towards his face.

"That slut was my wife! She did nothing wrong and you pitiful excuses for human beings tortured her?!" He growls. The outer calm Darius manages to keep snaps in an instant. After all these years he's held onto the hope that Ana died a quick, painless death. After all, Demacians are supposed to be just! She did nothing to warrant torture. A part of him smiles inside at the scream of pain from his prisoner. With a rough shake he shoves her to the ground.

"Hahaha! You! You're the man she died for?! What a pathetic excuse for a woman. We always thought she'd married some worthless Zaunite trash. You want to know why she died? She refused to tell me her your name. She knew that we'd find and kill you once we learned your name. It took me over fourth months of 'punishment' before she died! Now that I know the truth...hahaha..." Lilia yells out hysterically. By now both of them know the outcome to this discussion. Darius stands up stiff with anger. How many ways has he envisioned killing the person who murdered his Ana? At his most benevolent he was going to give her to Draven on a low attention day to one of his performances. But now, now she deserves a special death.

"I'll deal with you later. Enjoy your last moments of peace." Darius growls before walking out of the tent without looking back.

Hot wild rage boils in his veins. After all these years to find out his gentle Ana had been tortured for months...before realizing what he is doing Darius reaches the outskirts of his camp. Trees of various ages line the edge of a forest. With a yell he swings his axe at the largest of the trees next to him. Despite being rather large, and tree is cut in half from the force of his attack. A loud crash echoes through the camp drawing out the attention of his men. All of them cautiously approach him. All of them recognize that he is in a blood rage. No one talks to him, but they all await his orders. Someone is going to die tonight, and die a horrible death. Everyone knows of his quest for information from Demacian nobles for a reason he never explains. It is obvious that Darius has found his answers in their recent captive.

"Captain Larson. Inform the men that they are to enjoy themselves freely with our beautiful new captive tonight." Darius voice is deadly still. Around him his men murmur in surprise and glee. This is going to be a fun night!

"But I want her returned to me alive in the morning. Alive and conscious." With those orders Darius strides stiffly over to his tent. Several of his men are gleefully spreading the good news, and start heading towards tonight's entertainment. Some who have been with him the longest, the ones with families, bow to him as he marches past. They understand the pain their commander is in. Never before has an order like this been given, and probably never will again.

Without realizing it, Darius reaches his tent. Instead of setting his axe down in its customary spot by his bed he swirls in unhappily in his hands. With a deep breath Darius decides to meditate on how to best kill the bitch in his care. Carefully clearing an open space in the center of his tent, he starts to go through a series of complex weapon movements. As he dances with his weapon, gradually he regains some calm. Dimly he can hear the agonized screams coming across camp. He has good men, they'll follow his orders. Tomorrow he'll get her back alive and awake, and ready for his judgment. A slow, painful death would be the best. He doesn't have the time or luxury to torture her for months. He's on a time schedule, the best he has is a couple days to spent on her death. Perhaps a fatal wound from his axe would do it? No, no. It has to be slow. For the best results he'll let her to bleed to death slowly. Only he'll leave her staked out on the ground in the hot sun as she bleeds to death, and he watch her suffer. Yes, that would be a fitting death. With a content sigh, Darius sets down his axe next to his bed. As he drifts off into sleep, the screams from Lilia accompany him like a sweet melody.

Two days later Lilia's carcass sits rotting under the summer sun. Already being eaten by the local wild life, mostly ravens, her once beautiful body is laid to waste. At the moment of his axe swinging into her pale body Darius feels a moment of elation. Finally! Revenge! However, days later the joy fades, leaving behind nothing but emptiness. Despite finally killing off Ana's murderer, he finds no solace in her death. At night, his dreams still carry the smiling face of his Ana. I'll finally have found peace once all Demacians are dead! A new hatred has been born within him, however. Now he knows the family responsible for the death of his wife. When Demacia finally falls beneath the Hand of Noxus, he will personally see to the death of all Crownguards. None of them will find peace in a quiet death.


	4. ABLADD4

A bitter fall breeze plays around with Lux's blond hair. Outside of her window, she can see several trees in the city gardens turning several shades of red, orange, and yellow. King Jarvin the Third is a firm believer in a neat and tidy city. Despite leaves constantly falling to the ground, there are none littering the sidewalk for more than a couple hours. Demacia uses both magic and hextech to keep tidy. There is an entire departments of magic and hextech devoted to keeping the city spotless. Personally Lux thinks it is a tremendous waste of resources. Yes, Demacia looks spotless but there are still people living in homeless shelters in discreet parts of the city. Surely some of the large funds dedicated towards cleaning the city could go towards their needy? No matter, since she made her choice to cheat, she no longer has a say in these matters. As she gazes out into the city, her thoughts wander back towards the beginning of the summer.

It took some convincing acting on her part, but she managed to trick her mother into believing that Lux broke mentally. Instead of a head strong young woman who refused to give up the name of her husband, she became more simple minded. She reverted into the carefree child she was before entering the academy. This caused quite a commotion with her family, the city council, and the other nobility. Apparently still a powerful mage, her vast list of spells she had mastered where effectively gone. In order to keep the population happy with their hero, she became a martyr to her people. Sometime during one of her missions deep into Noxus, she got cursed and lost a lot of her spells. The people loved her for dedication to the city, and her amazing escape and return. However, she is now effectively a prisoner in her own city. In order to her safe, she is not allowed to leave for her own safety. Of course, several mages are working on a cure to the curse, but so far there has been no luck. In the beginning being free of constant pain was a huge relief. Lux had time to plot her revenge in peace and quiet. Yet, a problem with her plan became apparent.

Lux is still trapped. Although she no longer worries about getting married off and becoming a breeding mare, she still has very little control over her life. As a smart young woman, boredom becomes her second worst foe. Idly she taps her index finger against the window ledge. Despite the bitter freeze raking across her face, she welcomes it. So much of her life is been numb. Other than a strong hatred of Lilia, and rare passing fond memories of Darius, she feels no emotions. As granted her station in life, she has access to all kinds of rich, exotic foods. No matter how rare and delicious an Ionian fall apple should taste, it is bland to her. Food and drink is becomes tasteless to her, nothing truly excites her soul, or triggers her passions in her life. Oh, she manages to act like there are things please her but inside they are like ashes to her. There is only so much time in a day she can spend plotting her mother's painful demise. Despite having had several months of freedom, nothing she is thinking of seems fitting.

Knowledge on how to torture and kill someone isn't something she was taught in school. So, instead she does research. Lots and lots of detailed research. There is one little benefit to being to use magic when no one realizes she can. Lux can use any magic she wants discreetly, and no one suspects her. After all, she is a paragon of Demacian values! Of course she never lies about her magic. That is part of the reason how she manages to continue tricking her mother, and everyone else. Despite marrying a young man outside of her station, and refusing to expose him, she is still a good Demacian. It never dawns on her mother that her daughter, Lux, will lie about such an important matter. No Demacian is taught to retreat from battle, instead they are taught fight until death. Lying about her mental condition is a very deceptive retreat, something that she never should have thought of.

Yet, her time in Noxus changed her. The people in Noxus are still people to her, people who fall in love, care for each other although they are still ruthless in their methods. Strength above all is still an important value there. Survival is important, but she sees that there are reasons to run and live another day. There are other important things than being morally perfect in every way, unable to bend and adapt to a difficult situation.

Idly she taps her finger against the book she keeps on her lap, turning her attention away from the city, and back to her research. It is a tome she managed to steal from the Great Library. It is a history on the Noxian military, and their methods in handling prisoners of war. It is unedited, very gruesome, and completely alien to the things she learned in the academy. Yet, from it she is learning about methods of dealing with prisoners of war other than the way she was taught. Rough, fading black leather bound together with dull cracking leather, rests delicately in her hands. Considering the knowledge inside it should be a bright red with bright warning labels all over it for the content. A lot of the older tomes, scrolls, and books in the restricted historical section look very ordinary, if a bit old. Nothing about the plain bound backs, simple lettering, and aged look to them indicate the bloody contents. One would wonder why Demacia would have such books in its library, but the reasoning is that in order to be efficient against an ancient foe, one needs to know their methods. There isn't just knowledge kept away in the archives about Noxus, but there are tens of thousands of books about all the other countries in Runeterra.

What she does find odd, however, is how restricted a lot of the older tomes are. One would think that most knowledge about other places then Noxus would be more accessible, but no, only the more recent information is. There are secrets hidden in those tomes that Demacia doesn't want to be made public, but what that could be Lux doesn't know. In fact, it is tempting to research those older books about foreign places. Not just for her quest to find the perfect revenge, but to learn tactics. She has always had a love of tactics, making plans, and successfully winning the day! Before her tragic accident in Noxus, she was one of the top chess players in Demacia. It would seem very odd, however, if someone suddenly so innocent with memory lose would still be a pro at chess. In order to keep up her disguise, Lux forces herself to avoid all activities that would hint towards a deeper intelligence. This just enforces her cycle of dull boredom. There is nothing she can do other then research that keeps her mind active! Perhaps death by her mother's hand would have been a better fate. No! Enough wandering thoughts. Time to get back to the task at hand.

As the sun sets a bloody crimson in the sky, Lux sets down her book. A yawn escapes her lips. She has spent most of the day reading this book, and her back aches from holding still in her favorite chair. Gently she sets down her book, and goes back to gazing out over the city. The gold gilding on the buildings, shiny white buildings, and blue and cream flags turn into sinister shades of red and orange with the twilight colors. Does anyone else see this? Perhaps, perhaps not. It does not matter to her. Several hours pass since Lux last ate. Food no longer appeals to her, and hunger is rare now in her numb state. However, she knows that in order to survive sheneeds to force herself to eat.

With a natural grace Lux gets out of her chair. As she walks past her cherry wood desk, she places down her book on a pile of books. Most of them are the current popular romances, yet, buried deep within that stack are some more darker, dangerous reading material. One index finger trails lazily over the black cover, tracing in place glowing blue runes. Once she stops putting her concealment spell over the book she turns to leave. Today she is having a meal with her mother, father, and Garen. For a brief moment, he is in Demacia instead of out in battle.

Every time he has a free moment, Lilia insists he comes home for family time. Garen, being the dense young man that he is, doesn't realize his mother is preparing to match make for him. No matter, who Garen marries is of no concern to her. Again her hands glow a faint blue as she straightens out any wrinkles she has in clothing. After all, looking her best is part of her deception. The last part of her masquerade is to put an illusion of a smile on her face. So far, no one notices that her smile never reaches her aqua eyes. As she steps out of her door way, she practically skips towards the dining room. Today there will be all sorts of rich foods for her brother, and she should be excited for such a decadent meal! Once more she continues her plan.

As the years pass, Lux gradually stops loathing her mother with a passion. Oh, she wants revenge, but not with the same time consuming devotion. What really starts her change is her research. A deep love of knowledge and tactics shallows her. There are so many different ways to view battle, handle politics, diplomatic approaches, magical techniques and such by researching other places. One of the few ways she manages to keep sane is to focus her intellect on matters outside of her confining life. No one suspects her of this, all they see is her love of the latest trashy romance novels.

Another, deeper reason for her change is Darius. A good way to pass the time is to keep tabs on the latest subvert operations information. Since she used to be in the heart of it, she still has access. No one bothers to change her security level, and with her magic she manages to keep up with all the new passwords. One of the first, and primary areas of her knowledge is what Darius is up to.

In the beginning, pride is the primary emotion she had. After all, he quickly rose through the ranks by earning the respect, and adoration of his men. Lux knows he had that skill, and it keeps her warm inside knowing he kept true to this. However, as the years pass he changes his tactics. The first sign of change is his beheading his commanding officer to lead his troops to victory. It still makes her sick to her stomach at how many Demacians he has slaughtered, no is still slaughtering. How many men would still be alive if she didn't save him that one night? No matter, it is too late now. What really sickens her, however, is his rise through politics. Woman after woman praise his skills in bed. Her husband is extremely popular with the female nobility in Noxus. She knows that he thinks she is dead, and that he isn't cheating on her, yet jealously still stabs her deeply.

There are so many other ways to gain power, why does he have to use women to reach his goals? How many nights have thoughts of him loving other women left her sleepless? Lux knows that it shouldn't bother her after all of these years. Eventually she just dropped keeping tabs on him. For a little while she keeps track of Draven, but once he starts gathering fame and fortune by torturing people while executing them, she lost all desire too. No! Enough thoughts of Darius and Draven. I should be over them by now. Time to focus on the matter at hand.

Today she is visiting Shauna. No one knew Lux's secret, yet, she could relate to Shauna Vayne. Both of them have been through an emotional hell. While Shauna wasn't tortured by her family, she did listen to them die in agony. Both of them shared a hatred of those who have done them wrong. Shauna never does understand why Lux got along with her so well, only that she does. Lux will often have advice on how to combat the forces of darkness and shadow. She claims that it comes from her reading a lot of action books, however, the truth of which books she learns from is very different. No matter though, her knowledge is put to good use.

Lux spends countless hours at Shauna's mansion. The two of them discuss the best methods to deal with the bad guys. A sad smile forms under her cheerful illusion smile as Vayne edits her stories for the sake of her friend's innocence. While Shauna isn't doing battle training, or slaying monsters, Lux will spend time in her company. Both of them enjoy sweet white apple tea, and eat small finger sandwiches together while discussing various topics. Well, Lux pretends to enjoy said tea, but it has no taste to her. It is the simple, understanding company that drew her outside of her studies. There is still something comforting about being the presence of friends. Ha! Friends! What kind of friend am I to lie like this to Shauna? Still, her company still gives me some comfort. I'm sorry Shauna, maybe one day you'll understand. As the morning stretches on into the afternoon, Shauna excuses herself from Lux's company.

Most of Vayne's afternoons are spent training for slaying evil. Lux respects this, and always heads out into the city afterward their pleasant meetings. Every other day of the week, Lux spends a couple hours of her time out in her adoring public. By now, she knows of the names of civilians she talks to on a regular basis. She knows their stories, their passions, and their motivations for why they do what they do. Just because she doesn't like how the city is run doesn't mean she doesn't enjoy parts of the city. There are a lot of good people in Demacia, people who deserve respect. People that Lux will help without hesitation.

On quiet days, between her research, Lux ponders her future. There is more to her life then revenge. At some point she decides to spend her time for the betterment for the citizens of Demacia. That is part of the reason why she dedicates part of her research towards fields that would benefit Shauna's work. Unable to personally act on the behalf of the city, Lux still wants to fight for them. Maybe not fight so much for the people who were rigid in the their moral lives, but for the common person who just want to live a happy, good life. One of the very few pluses to her new lifestyle is using tactical knowledge to use her research, and magical abilities, for Demacia and not get caught. Just a little bit of a challenge in her now confining life. As she strolls down one the major roads, Moral Avenue, she waves at the people around her. Per usual Mrs. Junip is watering the flower gardens outside of her bakery. Lux receives a friendly wave in return. Every person she walks past show her some sign of respect; some bow, some nod their head, some salute...it varies from person to person. It takes some effort, but she has mastered acknowledging everyone who notices her. Besides helping keep up her image, it does wonders for subtle observation skills.

It takes a lot of coordination, keen eyesight, and physical movement to be on top of this spying activity. By now it is second nature. A pleasant benefit, one she does not share, is the fact that she learns all kinds of secrets this way. While people assume all she is doing is looking around, nodding her head and waving at them, she is actually observing them. For example, the young homeless lad Jonatun, likes to snitch gold coins from purses and pockets. He's very slick at it, and so far hasn't been caught. He's stolen from her a couple times, but recently he hasn't. There are people who pick their nose, litter, make sneering faces at their neighbors, and so many other little details they think go unnoticed. Personally, she finds it amusing in a dry sort of way. Sure, every Demacian is supposed to pride themselves on being morally just in all ways, but really, most of them aren't. At least, not all the time. The richer and more powerful you are, the more careful you have to act. The nobility, rich merchants, council members, and a couple other groups of people have to be on perfect behavior just about one hundred percent of the time. What they don't want you to know is they have underlings do most of the dirty work for them.

Once, once she made the mistake of slipping up her knowledge about knowing peoples dirty let secrets. Sure, it was only to one person. However, Fiora Laurent, upon discovering that Lux know about her fathers treachery, and has done nothing. House Crownguard is a larger more important nobility and her family's reputation protects her from Fiora. If Lux could duel with a sword, Fiora would hound her night and day for matches. Luckily, she is just an ordinary mage with no dueling skills. None the less, Fiora glares at her constantly. And if she isn't glaring, she is sneering, snubbing, or looking down on her. The rivalry between the two of them is famous. Or rather, Fiora's hatred of her is. Lux, of course, is an innocent bystander who got lucky and Fiora is a haughty woman with too much reputation to maintain. If she doesn't feel so numb all the time, a part of her might care enough to mend bridges with Fiora. At this point, however, she doesn't have enough emotion to bother making things peaceful between the two of them. Not that it matters; not everyone will love her. There are people whom she would like the admiration of, however.

The famous musician, Sona Buvelle, can and has, brought emotions to the surface in Lux. When she plays her etwahl, emotions rise in Lux. Love, hatred, sorrow, and so much flow freely through her as she listens to Sona perform. Even with her status as a Crownguard and as the Lady of Luminosity, she has a difficult time getting into one of Sona's Concerts. It will be very delightful if she can meet Sona Buvelle in person, and get to know her better. Sure, Sona can't talk, but Lux will give just about anything up to have more chances to listen to her play. The few fleeting moments of living in the moment, actually feeling emotionally alive, is delightful. Even if she spends a good chunk of the time weeping. As she walks along, she notices an upheaval ahead of her.

Xin Zhao is attempting to divert traffic around the trouble. As Lux gets closer, she notices that a carriage has broken down in the middle of road. What makes this so unusual is the huge crowd of people around the carriage. Someone famous must be inside! I should go help Xin. He looks ready to pull out his ponytail. Xin is a good steward to Jarvin, but he isn't very good at getting people to cooperate. He's a damn good warrior, a loyal servant, and a good friend...but not very good with the crowds. As she approaches, she jumps up and down waving her arm wildly to get his attention.

"Ah! Lux good to see you. I'd like to catch up, however, I'm a bit preoccupied with this mess..." He mutters unhappily, waving his arm at the growing crowd.

"Oh! How can I help Xin?" Lux chirps at him. Although she feels no joy, a sense of purpose fills her at being able to help her friend. Xin, also has dealt with torture. He too doesn't understand why she gets along with him so well, only that she does. Some friend I am...lying to such a loyal man.

"Excellent. Sona Buvelle is in that carriage. She's on her way out from a private performance with Lord Jarvin. He sent me here to help when he found out about her accident. I can't force people out of the way, and they won't listen to me when I'm polite." He growls.

"Oh! I can totally handle this. Do you know of the Rubia Stables, just a few blocks from here? They have Crownguard Carriages ready to go at all times. Just tell them what is going on, and have them bring me a Lullian carriage. Ask for Landra to be the driver. I'll clear out this mess, and wait for you." Lux says with a smile. This time it is an actual smile, not an illusion. Finally I have a chance to met Sona in person!

"Thank you. I will return shortly." Xin replies with relief. He gives her a deep bow, before striding off down the street.

With a loud whistle and an excited yell, Lux draws the crowd's attention to herself. Without needing to force all of it, she bounces happily into the fray. It doesn't take long before she has the crowd wrapping around her finger, eager to do as she asks. Addressing almost everyone by their first name, Lux explains the stress they're putting on the musician, and how they should help by her returning to their daily tasks. The few people who are reluctant to give up a chance to see Sona up close eventually give in to her pleasant persuasions. Just around the time she has the crowd dispersed, Xin shows up her carriage.

"Thank you Xin! Perfect timing. I'll ask Sona where she wants to go, escort her there, then use the carriage to return home." Lux tells him with a grin.

"Very well. I know better than to ask how you'll communicate with Sona...you're a clever one. You probably already have a plan in place." Xin says with a grin. Lux gives him a small, genuine smile. He is one of the very few people who recognizes she isn't stupid. Just because she acts younger, and more simple, doesn't mean she is an idiot. Oh, she likes having people underestimate her, but having a few people acknowledge her brains is a nice treat.

With a quick skip over to the broken carriage's door, Lux knocks swiftly on the door before waiting for it to open. A few seconds after she knocks, the door swings open and a petite women with blue and blond hair smiles out at her.

"Good day miss Buvelle! My name is Lux Crownguard, and I am your hero today. I've provided a carriage to take you where you wish, and shooed away your adoring public. Please follow me..." Lux says with a wide grin. With a nimble jump, she gets down from the carriage steps, and holds the door open for Sona.

Sona Buvelle gives her a grateful grin before gracefully gliding out of her carriage. Tucked next to her side is the etwahl. Although it has some decoration on it, the sheer beauty of the instrument comes from its simplicity. Lux isn't certain what material it is made of, but it looks like some of exotic wood with a veneer of some sort. The strings aren't a simple white color, but seem to be made of rainbows made substantial. After allowing herself a couple seconds to admire the etwahl up close, Lux escorts Sona to her new carriage. Instead of her opening the door for Sona, the coach jumps down from the driver's bench and opens the door for them.

"Thank you Miss Landra. Your service is always top notch. I will give you directions from inside the carriage once I get them from miss Buvelle." Lux says with respect. With a confident smile at Sona's perplexed look, she gets into the carriage close behind her. One blue eyebrow is raised in expectation as Lux sits down across from Sona. With a hidden smirk, Lux proceeds with her plan to communicate with her idol.

"Miss Buvelle, if you would kindly get your etwahl ready...we will play a game of twenty questions, only instead of verbal answers, you'll play some music instead. Do you want to head to your private residence or someplace work related? Please play a piece from your latest aria for heading towards home. If no, please play a piece from your last popular hit." Lux replies. Sona gives her a knowing look before playing out a piece from her latest aria.

"Excellent! Do you want to run errands on the way, or head straight there. Please play a piece from the your aria L'Buvelle if you want to run errands, if not please a play piece from your first aria." Again Lux asks with a happy grin on her face. She is deliberately asking for pieces of music from the songs that make her happy, instead of weep. To her dismay, Sona plays a piece from her first aria. It would have been nice to have been able to ask more questions, but she won't begrudge Sona's time. With a knock on the window on the front of the carriage, Lux she waits for Landra to slide open the window and get her instructions. Instantly after knocking, the cover on the window slides back.

"Please take us straight to Miss Buvelle's private resident. Be quick about it please, no detours are needed." Lux mentions. As much as she would love to spend more time in her current company, it will be rude to take up extra time just for her selfish desires.

To her delight, Sona strums a few cords on her instrument drawing Lux's attention to her. With a grateful smile, Sona starts to play her first aria. Aqua eyes close with bliss as the music play around her. Rare moments of pure joy pour out from her heart driving away the constant cold numbness. Completely obvious to the amount of time passing, Lux simply lives in the moment. Sooner then she would have liked, the carriage rolls to a stop outside of a large house. Her damsel in distress doesn't live in a large mansion, but the house is still large and eloquent. Again, Landra jumps down from the driver's seat and holds open the door for Sona. Giving her a large smile, and small nod of her head Sona ducks out of the carriage, taking her etwahl with her.

"Please take me home Miss Landra." Lux yells through the carriage.

"Lux, it sure was nice to have a Lullian ready. I was able to hear all of the music being played. I've never had such an experience before, and I doubt I ever will again. Thank you." Landra says with emotion.

"It is my pleasure Miss Landra. Your family has been to loyal the Crownguard family for generations, and I know what this means to you." Lux tells her. Landra's family has been in the Crownguards service for several generations. Their family does diverse tasks without complaint. They don't ask for much pay, and are happy to serve at the drop of a hat. Landra has always had a passion for music, and her idol is Sona Buvelle. Landra knows that she will never make enough gold, or have enough influence to get into one of her idol's concerts. Listening to music being played over a radio is different from hearing it in person.

It is such a simple task to grant one of her servants their hearts desire. Despite her heart being numb, Lux still wants the best for her people. Although she can't do much, she is able to do some things here and there. A part of her also knows that Landra will now gladly give her life for her. It is second nature now to use tactics for everything she does, allowing herself several future beneficial options. Not once does she use these advantages to hurt the people she cares for, but having any advantage over her mother is most welcome. All during the ride back, Landra happily talks to her. Lux listens intently to the chatter. It isn't just gushing thank you, there is also talk about how her family is doing, who won the local baking contest, and just little tidbits of news. Every so often Lux would make an acknowledgment noise, letting Landra know she is listening. As the carriage approaches the gates to the Crownguards Estate a serious Garen awaits her at the entrance. This is bad news. Garen isn't due back for another week at least!

Later that evening Lux locks herself in her room. Somehow she manages to hold back the hysteria. Her mother is dead! Killed by Noxus forces. Lux practically ran into the intelligence department to find out the fate of her mother. The irony of her death shocks her. Lilia was killed by Darius! Not only did he kill her, he had her go through a death more awful then any Lux could have pulled off. All of her planning, all of her efforts, everything...for nothing! How many years has she wasted on planning revenge? Only to have it yanked from her grasp. What is her purpose now? Sure, she's always wanted to help her people. However, she held onto the faint hope that once she completed her revenge, she'll feel again. That she will move from the numbness, and feel freely once more. Now, now her one chance at redemption is lost forever. A future filled with more sleepless nights, numbed emotions, tasteless food, and a void of warmth shakes her to the core. No! No! No! I refuse to live this way! But what can I do?! Without a care Lux curls up into a little ball on her bed wrapping her blankets around her. Despite her loss, she is unable to even cry.

Some point later that evening someone knocks softly on her door. Lux doesn't answer, she doesn't want to do anything. However, she isn't given any choice in the manner. Garen strides into her room, followed by company.

"Lux you have company. I will leave you alone with them." Garen's voice is gruff and raw.

Not even bothering to look out from under her blankets Lux ignores her guests. She doesn't want any company! She didn't ask for any! Who dares to bother her? A gentle, yet amazing strong hand pulls her up from her fetal position on the bed. In front of Lux is the most amazing creature she has ever seen. No, not creature. This is a kumiho. This must be Ahri! I've heard about her...but why is she here? A knowing smile graces the kumiho's whiskered face. Suddenly she realizes that there is more than one guest. Behind Ahri stands a solemn Sona. A confused look crosses Lux's face. Huh?

"I'm here to translate for Sona. I am one of the few who can hear her thoughts. She found out about your mother shortly after she returned home, and she wants to provide healing for you. You'll get a private concert to heal your soul." Ahri says softly. Sona nods her head.

"N-no. I'm okay. I don't need any healing." Lux says softly. Her disappointment is so great she doesn't even want to hear Sona play. After all, she doesn't deserve healing.

"Sona says you don't have a choice. This just isn't about your mother, she says. You have a secret that is slowly eating you alive from the inside. She wants to heal you." Ahri replies for Sona.

"I-I don't know w-what you're talking about. I have no secrets." Lux says dully. There is no way she could know! All she gets in reply is a smug look from Ahri.

"Tell me a secret..." Ahri whispers before holding up her arm and blowing into Lux's face. A faint heart shaped cloud surrounds Lux. For the first time since being in Darius's presence Lux falls in love. Her entire world revolves around Ahri. So Lux tells Ahri everything; about her marriage to Darius, the loss of her unborn child, her mother's torture, her deception, and her dashed hopes. What seems like eons later, the feeling of unconditional love abruptly fades. All the blood drains from her face. Someone now knows her secret. The entire secret. Oh shit!

"P-please don't tell anyone...please..." Lux whispers. Ahri just gives her a smug look.

"I never give up any secrets. Sona can't speak, so no one will learn your secret from her. That is what Sona wants to heal. She felt your inner pain while she was playing for you in the carriage, and she feels it now. Sona can heal your soul, and heart. It is time to move on." Ahri states softly. With a nod at Sona, Ahri suddenly holds Lux close.

With a gentle strum of her fingers, Sona starts to play her etwahl. Never before has Lux heard any music like it before. What sounds like a lost wailing soul surrounds her ears. Shortly following the wailing is more another haunted, pain filled sound. Lux drowns in the music, losing all track of time and reality. At one point it dawns on her that Sona is playing music that matches the progression of her emotions from the moment she left Darius all those years ago. Eventually the sorrowful music fades away, and being replaced by a soothing lullaby. Tears continue to stream down her face, but gradually stop. When she was really little, Garen used to give her massages after she fell off her pony. He was the one who taught her how to ride, and he was the one who gave her the courage to get back up and try again. The lullaby Sona plays for her reminds her of that part of her childhood. Instead of drowning in this music, Lux floats upwards soaking up the warmth. The last stages of the song Sona plays for her is a happy, upbeat piece. This music fills up her soul with joy, hope, and happiness. Once the music finally fades, Lux opens her eyes at the smiling Sona and Ahri.

"Thank you!" She whispers happily, giving Ahri a tight hug. Untangling herself from Ahri, and her blankets, Lux gives Sona a big hug too. Instead being numb inside, she is full with joy. For the first time in years, she is at peace and happy.

"Sona says you're welcome. You are welcome to come visit her as much as you please. We've both heard rumors of a formation of something called the League of Legends. Sona suggests you look into it. Goodbye little mage." Ahri purrs with pleasure at a job well done. The two of them turn and leave. Lux waves goodbye. Something called the League of Legends, hm? I'll definitely look into it. Perhaps I should start looking into a cure for my 'curse'...but first...I want to eat some apple pie and ice cream!


	5. ABLADD5

It has been one week since Sona healed her, and Lux has never been happier. For the longest time she acted upbeat, but now she no longer needs to act. What was once displayed by magic alone is now a natural part of her life without illusion. Despite having to act this is way, she originally was like this. Just because she reverted to a personality she had when younger doesn't mean it wasn't a part of herself. Although no one says anything to her, Lux knows that people whisper about her change. Her father has made it public knowledge that she received a healing from Sona, to help quell any negative rumors about her suddenly being more alive after her mother died. Lux doesn't care what people say about her. Their opinion doesn't run her life, she does. Completely free of her mother, and the hate that seethed in her heart, there is nothing controlling her motivations other than just living a full life true to herself. Last night Lux got the information she wanted about the formation of the League of Legends.

The mere prospect of it makes her heart with pleasure. Finally, a way for peace between the warring factions in Runeterra has been found. By having various places settle differences on a battle field where no stays dead, and everything is kept fair, there is no longer a reason for continuing battles. Sure, there will always be a military, but young soldiers no longer have to worry about being sent to their deaths daily. Families can live together without being torn apart by wars. So far the formation of the League isn't public knowledge. Yet, people in power are jostling to get it ready. Lux guesses it will take about a year before the notion will be made public, and about six months or less before it becomes universally accepted. Already several champions are being selected to be the first contestants.

One of the first to be chosen is her brother Garen. This doesn't surprise Lux, however, it does give her an opening to what she desires. Since Garen will be a champion in this League, it gives her a chance to follow in his footsteps. However, in order to get accepted into the League, she'll need to be to use magic in a combative setting. She hasn't show any interest in learning new magic in nearly a decade! So, now she needs to get involved in the magical combat scene again. The best person to talk to about combat is Shauna. Although her friend doesn't use magic, she does have contacts in the right places. As the sun shines down brightly, Lux skips towards her friends place.

Of course she sends word ahead that she is visiting, so Shauna will be ready for her. A part of her eagerly awaits the food and drink that she enjoys with Shauna. Vayne greets her at the gates with a smile on her face. One would say that Shauna no longer knows how to smile while not killing evil, but Lux knows better.

"Shauna! Hi!" Lux yells cheerfully. This isn't normal behavior for her, but Lux runs forward and hugs Shauna tightly. I finally stop lying to my friends!

"Oh! You're in good mood Lux. I'm glad to see that you're doing better. I've been really worried about you." Shauna replies after giving Lux an one arm return hug.

"Worried about me? I haven't been doing terrible..." Lux says hesitantly. What?

"For a long while now you've been very unhappy. I don't know what happened to you, but something happened to hurt you deeply. A part of you never healed, despite your changes after your illness. You may have been acting happy, but it was just an act. I'm glad that Sona healed your soul. It is good to see you whole again." Shauna states. Lux's jaw drops at this confession from her friend. S-she knows?!

"Don't seem too surprised. Xin has known just as long as I have. You're a very good actress! I don't think anyone knows about your pain but Xin and I. You don't act any differently, but there is a light to you that has been missing for too long. It is such a relief that Sona finally fixed what was broken. Don't worry about your secret, Xin and I won't tell anyone. It must be important for you to have kept inside for so long. Enough talk about all this emotional issues, I'm sure you're here for a reason. Let's sit down, enjoy our tea and sandwiches, and talk freely again." Shauna replies with a smile. Lux stands still in complete shock. She isn't certain what is more shocking, the fact that people noticed her acting, or the fact that they respected her act to not confront her about it. I have some very good friends in Xin and Shauna. Perhaps someday I can tell them the entire truth...but not for a while still! Lux thought that all of the weight has been lifted from her soul by Sona's music, but a tiny part of her feels lighter. Not only is she free of the hatred, she is free of the guilt of lying to her friends. As Lux and Shauna walk into the sun room, the food and drink is already waiting.

"I don't know what to say Shauna, but the best I can offer right now is thanks. There is something I've been meaning to ask you...I need your help getting back into using combative magic. I still remember some of thes spells from the academy, but I don't access to the weapon I want. It doesn't feel right to just approach the Headmaster for access to my light wand." Lux says with a nervous rush. Shauna Vayne gives her a reassuring smile. The two of them sit down on plush red and gold chairs. Eye balling her favorite finger sandwich, Lux reaches out and grabs it delicately. For the longest time she hasn't been able to enjoy this simple pleasure, so she eats it slowly enjoying the new favors.

"There must be something big happening if you want to use your wand again. Tell me your reasons, and I'll get you your personal wand by the end of the evening. I'm sure Xin can set up practice rooms. You should talk to him afterwards." Shauna answers. Raising one eyebrow above her customary sunglasses, Shauna starts to sip her tea.

"Well, you see it's like this..." Lux explains. It takes her the next couple hours to tell everything she knows about the upcoming League. Once or twice she is interrupted for simple clarifications, but her friend listens intently.

"I see. Very well, I can get your weapon by nightfall. I can see this League being a really good thing, but it leaves open a gate for a lot of abuse. You should definitely join the League when it happens. Keep me updated on it will you? You've always had access to the latest information." Is all Shauna says. The two of them nod heads at each other respectfully before heading in different directions.

Once outside again, Lux starts her journey towards the Lightshield Estate with a bounce in her step. Despite her cheerful nature, she still observes the world around her. People still give her the customary signs of respect, but she notices that a lot of people are despondent. Most of the public doesn't about her mother's true nature, so the loss of an important noblewoman struck a harsh blow to the civilians morale. It takes her about an hour to reach the estate. Shyvana greets her at the gate, informing her to Xin's location.

Xin's response to her change in behavior mirrors Shauna's. Again, Lux feels a small weight lift from her soul. Warm fuzzy feelings flood her at his helpfulness, and understanding. Apparently Shauna contacted him while Lux was on her way over, and he already prepared a room for her. Within the hour, Lux is practicing attacks and moves with her light wand. Careful to act like she is rusty, Lux throws her entire focus on getting ready for the league.

As she expected, the League of Legends forms on her estimated time schedule. A part of Lux is feels conflicting on the inside at the news of who Noxus choose as their beginning champions. Darius and Draven aren't on the list, or expect to be on the list anytime soon. Whispers fly around at Darius sudden hatred of the Crownguard family, and his vehemence in the forming of the League. He wants nothing to do with it according to the rumors. Sometimes she wonders what exactly transpired between Darius and her mother. None of the important information she has indicates his loathing of her family before coming across Lilia. Lux can't decide if she will be sad at not having a chance to see Darius again in person, or relieved that he won't see and recognize her.

Surely he won't recognize her after all these years! But, still...if he ever finsd out the truth it will be the end of her, peace treaty or not. And she does not want to give up on living. She waits several months after the actual matches start in the League before putting her application. A part of her is nervous about the Judgment, because she knows it will determine her placement. Research is her forte though, and Lux believes she has a spell in place to convince the system to let her join without giving away anything important.

Sweat pours down her as she leaves the chamber where she received her Judgment. The once blinding light fades from her eyes. Nervously she tries to keep a firm grip on the baton. Despite her best efforts, the wand slides downwards as she shakes. None of her secrets are made public, however, the emotional experience of it leaves her trembling. As she walks down one of the hallway of the Institute of War, Lux starts to wobble a bit from sheer emotional shock. Before she find a place to rest a pair of firm hands grip her shoulders.

"Just got your Judgment right? That chamber is designed to break us. Not that I had anything to worry about though! Here, let me get you someplace to rest. That place can be really rough." A handsome young man replies as he herds her towards a side hallway. He has medium length blond hair, blue eyes, and strange reddish orange triangle tattoos under his eyes. A cocky grin graces his face as he winks at her. This is Ezreal...I wonder why he's paying attention to me?

"Thank you...Ezreal." Lux says politely. She gives him a friendly smile at his surprised look.

"Oh! So you know who I am already? I know my reputation is amazing, but I never it would help me with such a pretty girl." He replies with a smug tone of voice. With elaborate movements, he bows down onto one knee for her. Once he is done bowing he plops down on the seat next to her.

"Hehe. I guess you could think that. My name is Lux. Pleased to meet you!" Lux chirps holding out her hand. Ezreal gently takes hold of her before kissing it. She blushes hot. Other then Darius, no one treats her this way. He's kind of cute...maybe it is time I move on with my love life.

"A pleasure to met you Lux. Have you ever heard of the Lost Shurima Shrine? I was just there and..." Before he can continue Lux gasps with delight clapping her hands together.

"Really? I've read stories about the place, but I thought no one ever manages to get in and out a live..." As she finishes that sentence Ezreal starts to tell her all kinds of stories about the place. She soon loses track of time as she talks with him. Despite being a bit cocky, he is an excellent story teller. As the sun sets the two of them part ways agreeing to meet up again later.

Every day Lux spends time exploring the Institute of War. It is a marvel of modern magic and hextech. A station of two teleportation chambers with a preset amount of champions, deliver them to specific places on maps where they battle. Despite the parts of the buildings for the actual battling themselves, most of the Institute is rather old. There are numerous rooms that once held old magical workshops, lost libraries, training rooms, and so much more. Most of the people stay in the modern parts of the place. Once a person leaves the main hallways, the place rapidly degrades in looks.

The main rooms, hallways, and transport areas are done in different shades of gold and brown. Honey colored oak floors lay between stone walls. Lux isn't sure what kind of stone the walls of made of, but it is beautiful. In all types of lighting, the walls seem to gleam with life. Fancy glowing hextech light bulbs set in crystal chandeliers shed off small rainbows. The entire place is spotless, and smells new. Once you leave the main hallway, however, things rapidly degrade. Golden wood floors give way to faded red patterned carpet. Gleaming brown stone walls fade into dull gray stone. Even the lighting changes from new hextech to old, glowing magic orbs.

Dust, dust, more dust and cobwebs of impressive sizes litter corners, window wells, door frames, and the ceiling. Several doors barely hang on rusty hinges. Almost all of the doors are unlocked, and free to be explored. However, there are a few with sturdy, newer locks, and one or two with very impressive magical locks. Considering that behind some of these old doors rest champions like Fiddlesticks, Lux is content to not open them. What interests her the most are the old magic labs. Most of the materials have rotted away into dust, but she has come across a few intact spell books. Reasonably certain no one will object if she doesn't inform them about the theft, Lux sneaks these tomes out of the Institute. Several of t hem are written in runes she has never seen before! Translating them is proving to be very difficult.

After one very unsuccessful exploration, Lux leaves the west wing of the Institute. It seems like that with every breath she takes, she sneezes out more dust. Cobwebs are stuck all over her clothing, hair, and skin. Dirt smudges her armor, and little flakes of plaster are stuck all over her. Normally she is prepared for such things, but part of a ceiling collapsed on her, coating her in dust, cobwebs, and plaster chips. With a loud cough, Lux pauses her walking trying to catch a clean breath of air. Taking time to rest against a wall, Lux ignores the urge to rub the dirt out of her eyes. Her hands are just as dirty as the rest of her, so rubbing them over her eyes will not help at all.

"Here let help you." A friendly, breezy sound voice says from her right. A lovely breeze tickles against her face, removing all of the dirt and dust from her face. With a pleased look, Lux looks at her savior. Dressed in clothing far more revealing than her own is Janna. By now, Lux has done her research on all the champions she works with, and against. For a while now, she's wanted to talk to Janna. Supposedly, Janna is a wind magic prodigy. One thing Lux is learning in her time in the League is that people who are also magical prodigies understand her the best. Ezreal is the best example. It didn't take long for the two of them become close friends.

"Thank you. That is an interesting spell...I'm going to try something..." Lux murmurs thoughtfully. One of her greatest pleasures since joining the League is learning all kinds of new magic. She hasn't had the chance to instantly learn, and repeat complex spells since her days as a spell thief. Very, very rarely does she repeat the spells she learns in front of others. Lux still wants people to underestimate her, so letting others know that she can still steal spells is a no no. Yet, she's going to make an exception for Janna. Closing her eyes, Lux envisions the magic around her. Tiny currents of wind magic float around like tiny particles of dust. Remembering how Janna seemingly swept the currents of magic in a controlled flow, Lux tries the same. Only this time, she is trying to remove the cobwebs and dust from her hair. WHOOSH! A fierce gust of air slams into them, knocking both of them to the ground.

"Oops." Lux whispers bashfully. What did I do wrong? I did the same things she did...

"Hahaha! I'm impressed! I haven't seen anyone manipulate air magic like that in a long while. You use your magic to push too hard. Next time, be more gentle in the beginning. The tempest may be at your command, but you need to impress it first. Hitting the wind with a hard fist doesn't work." Janna gets off the floor, and seems to float on her feet. Janna reaches out with one hand to help Lux off the floor.

"Oh! I didn't know you had to impress the wind like that, is it similar to..." Lux inquires quickly before remembering her manners.

"Sorry Janna. My name is Lux, a pleasure to finally meet you in person." Lux replies while holding out her hand.

"Likewise. I've heard your name before, but I haven't seen you around much." Janna waves her fingers in a circular pattern, causing a small tornado to form. Seemingly without effort, Janna sweeps away the mess off them, and down the hallway. Lux watches how she does this, and is very impressed. Lux can see the magical concepts behind the manipulation, but Janna uses a finesse that is absolutely stunning in its control.

"Would you please explain more about control? I'm interesting in seeing how it would work with a similar magic..." Lux asks softly. Please say yes, I'd love to be friends...

"Of course. Let's go eat something. I'll explain the theory behind it as we walk." Janna gracefully steps to side, giving Lux room to follow beside her. The two of them walk side by side towards the Institutes cafeteria.

Life soon falls into a pattern. In the mornings, Lux spends her time in Demacia with Xin, or Shauna. Both of them are very interested in what she has to report about the League. Soon enough, other Demacian warriors join her, also showing interest. Every other afternoon Lux spends her time practicing magic, sometimes in secret, sometimes in public. In the afternoons between magic practice, Lux does more research on the tomes she recovers from the Institute, or other personal subjects she finds interesting. In the evenings Lux spends with her new friends. The only breaks in her routine is when she is summoned. In the beginning, she is summoned a lot, but as time passes and things calm down, she is summoned less frequently.

Most of her free time with her new friends is spent with Janna. However, she mingles with several of the other champions. By now she knows all of them by name, and they know her name. But just because they know her name doesn't mean they talk to her. Almost all of the Noxians ignore her. Some champions are just aloof in general, and some are just make her uncomfortable. The few times Ezreal is here, however, she spends time with him. They get along so well! Lux knows he really likes her, but so far she just isn't feeling the same towards him. He likes to hold her hand as they walk places together, they've kissed a couple times, and he likes to seek out her company. As much as she enjoys talking with him, there isn't a spark between them. Not like what she had with Darius anyway. Sometimes as they talk together, side by side, Lux wonders why she isn't attracted to Ezreal in a romantic way. She just figures that all she needs is time to fall in love him, and she knows he likes her enough to wait.

Alas for Ezreal, things suddenly change. As Lux goes over the rooster of new champions the two latest names give her pause. Both Darius and Draven are joining the League, shortly after each other. As she reads over his name again and again, Lux's heart pounds faster. Darius...Darius will be here! I'll see him again! What should I do...? The only people who know about her marriage to Darius is Sona and Ahri. She is reasonably certain neither of them will recognize her, but anticipation of their reactions weighs heavily on her. Again, she is conflicted about how to react when she sees either of them. I better be careful not to give away any important information. A part of her reasons that this will help her possible relationship with Ezreal. All she needs to do is encounter Darius, realize he hates her, move on with her love life, and be happy with a man who is actually interested in her.

Nervously Lux awaits the day Darius is introduced to the League. Cautious, she hangs out in the back of a crowd as he enters the building. People stop and stare at his imposing figure before returning on with their business. Lux is struck dumb at the sight of him. She's seen pictures of him, of course, but they don't compare to seeing him in person. Oh...he's handsome. Only allowing herself two and half seconds to openly stare at him, Lux quickly turns her head away as he marches past her. As he moves past her, her heart beat picks up rapidly. Oh dear. Once he is out of eyesight, and her heart starts returning to normal, Lux realizes that she is still attracted to him. Now to determine if he still hates all Crownguards...the sooner I learn he hates me, the sooner I can get over him. Since he's new, I'll probably come across him again in person in just a couple days.

Perhaps the Gods have a sense of humor, but she doesn't see him again for several weeks. In fact, she doesn't encounter him at all until Draven enters the League. As Lux leaves from a successful battle, she starts to head towards the teleport room to go home. It was a long match, lasting for well over an hour. Perhaps because she is tired, Lux doesn't notice that she runs into a solid wall of person until she bounces off and hits the floor.

"Oof!" She gasps in surprise. The hell did I just run into?!

"Move." A cold voice snarls from above. Standing tall above her is Darius, his dark eyes glaring at her. Before she can react, a strong pair of arms pull her up to her feet.

"Bro! That is no way to treat a pretty lady. Excuse my brother, he's an idiot. You are talking to the marvel that is Draven." A familiar pair of dark eyes wink at her. A wide grin graces his tattooed face, while his mustache moves slightly as he grins at her.

"Oh! Um, thank you Draven..." Lux says haltingly. For a brief moment they eyes met, and lock. Dark eyes stare in to blue eyes, and Draven suddenly straightens.

"Glad to see that you recognize my greatness...miss...?" Draven inquires, wagging one of his eye brows at her. Before she can react with a reply a strong hand shoves her roughly to the side.

"Brother, she is a Demacian. That is all you need to know." Darius' voice is cold. Before his brother can reply, he stalks off down the hallway ignoring her.

"I'll be seeing you later." Draven purrs with a wave of his hand. Placing his hands behind his head, he strides off looking pleased with himself.

All she can do is watch them walk away. A nervous gulp slides down her throat. Draven suspects something about me. Probably my eye color...I'll have to be extra careful around him. A tiny part of her is hurt at Darius's rough treatment of her, but she also can't deny the pleasant shock of his touch against her. Oh great, I'm still conflicted. I'll just have to avoid them both.

~Darius POV~

"Draven what do you think you're doing?! She's a Demacian! Why would you help her, much less flirt with her?!" Darius snarls. Something seems off about the Demacian, but he can't quite place what. Either which way, seeing an enemy he couldn't extract revenge on makes his blood boil. He was given no choice in joining the League. Swain gives it as a direct order. There are very few people in Noxus he has to take commands from, and Swain is one of the few.

"Of course I know what I'm doing! Draven always know what he's doing. Don't you think she reminds you of Ana? Such pretty blue eyes..." Draven replies with a large grin on his face. Darius's fast, but if Draven wasn't expecting his brother to deck him, he would be on the floor with a broken nose. Darius is deadly and especially dangerous if someone mentions Ana. Considering that only Draven knows about Ana, Draven is the one who puts himself in the most danger. Sometimes he wants to strangle his brother with his own mustache from the way he teases him about Ana.

"Her eyes aren't a pretty blue. Now leave me alone." Darius grumbles angrily.

"Oh ho! Want to take a bet big brother? The next time you see her, and gaze into those heavenly blue eyes and don't think they're beautiful...I'll let you hit me. I'll let you get in a free shot before one of my marvelous performances." Draven says confidently. Darius stops walking and grabs his brother with one arm.

"What's your game Draven? You never let me hit you, much less sometime before you dress up like a peacock." His voice is cold, calculating. Draven may be an annoying braggart who thinks too highly of himself, but he is clever. If Draven is willing to make such a bet, there is something off about that Demacian. Ugh! I want nothing to do her, or any other Demacian unless it is killing them painfully. Isn't she a Crownguard too?!

"Game? What game? I'm just trying to have some fun with my favorite sibling! You aren't afraid of her are you?" Draven purrs. Darius flexes his left fist, imaging it smashing into his brothers nose right before one of his matches.

"Fine. I'll gaze into her eyes. I won't find them beautiful. Now let's get going. I have troops to supervise in the morning." Darius snarls. He is not afraid of any Demacian.

"You'd agreed without even hearing what I get! If you do find those eyes beautiful, you get to set me up on a date with her. Draven could use a hot date." With that said, Draven lets out a loud laugh slapping him on the back. Damned annoying womanizer, is he good for anything?

"And you're my only sibling. I have no one else, I'm stuck with you." Darius mumbles darkly.

True to his word, once Darius finishes putting his troops through their regular exercises he heads towards the Institute of War. This will be easy. I get there, I find the blond, I look into her eyes, I come home, I hit Draven. Simple. Making sure he has his most formidable armor one, and his axe is nice and shiny, he heads out. Nothing like giving the blond a good scare while he's at it. There should be at least something entertaining about this trip.

By the end of the day, Darius is seething. Not once has he had the chance to look into the blond Demacians eyes. He'll catch a glance of golden hair, but before he can pinpoint her exact location she's gone. As a soldier, and a commander, he prides himself on his observation skills, his ability to find his target, and get the mission done. Today proves to have one of his most proud skills to be useless. Eventually he gives up his search and heads back to Noxus. It takes all of his self control to not kill Draven at his innocent inquiry about the blonds' eye color. I will get this over with!

A week passes and he still is unsuccessful. How in Runeterra is such a person able to disappear like this? With her golden hair, supposedly beautiful blue eyes and heavenly body she'll be easy to spot and talk to! In fact, he suspects she knows he is looking for her. After the second day of searching, he losses all sight of her. Despite being unable to spot her himself, the few people he asked, said they've seen her. I'm going to find this Demacian, look at her, kill her, then kill Draven for his stupid bet! I have never felt so foolish before! As the eighth day dawns, he decides to change tactics.

Instead of looking for her solo, he'll research her habits and ambush her. This proves to be surprising difficult. Although everyone knows this Demacian, one Lux Crownguards, very person who isn't Demacian know her very well. Although people seem to have the impression that she is rather friendly, simple, and childlike, he knows these statements to be false. She's too good at being simple to pull off her disappearing act. Over the course of the following week he slowly gains respect for her skills. With the exception of two people, everyone else under estimates her abilities outside of battle. One would think that a light mage would be easy to spot, but no. Whoever this Demacian is, she is very good at her job of being ordinary.

So ordinary in fact that everyone knows who she is, but know nothing about her personally. They don't know where she likes to eat, what she likes to eat, where she hangs out, or anything of the sort. People tell him that she has a routine, but no one knows what it is outside of Demacia. Grudgingly he decides to not kill her out of respect. Anyone who masters this art of deception deserves to be treated with respect, and to be a honest, awe. Not even Noxus finest assassins are as good at hiding in plain sight as she is. Why would she even have these skills? She's just a Demacian mage, there is no reason for her to have learned them!

It takes him a month of zero success at gazing into these beautiful blue eyes that he decides to ask for help. Draven's smug attitude is driving him nuts! Something has to change, or he will end up murdering his brother. Over the course of his research, he has learned that Lux has two good friends she hangs out with on a regular basis - Ezreal and Janna. Ezreal is rarely at the Institute of War and the rare times he's interacted with him, the boy has proven to be an obnoxious jerk. He used to think that Draven was the most cocky, self centered person he's ever known, but nope. Ezreal is worse. That leaves Janna. Although she is just a support, she is a strong mage to be feared. Darius doesn't want Janna to warn Lux of his mission, but he can't figure out how to approach her otherwise.

Exactly one month, two weeks, three days, and twelve hours later Darius gets a chance to talk to Janna alone. Luckily for him, she was part of his team comp for a match so he could follow her outside of the teleportation room and not look like he actively seeking her out.

"What do you want Darius?" Janna asks softly once they're alone in the hallway.

"I was wondering if you know why Lux is so good at disappearing. I didn't know light mages were ninjas." He states simply. Keep it simple.

"Haha! You don't know why she's so good at not being found? She was Demacia's top infiltrator for years. Hiding in plain sight is second nature to her, and hiding from Noxians deliberating seeking her out is easy for her. She knows that you want something from her, so she's deliberately made herself scarce. Despite what people may tell you, she's very smart. Just give up on trying to find her." Janna says with a chortle before turning to leave. Quick as a snake Darius grabs her wrist hard.

"The hell do you mean by her being their top spy?" His voice is deadly soft. Darius knows of only one Demacian spy, and that spy has been dead for years. Janna gives him an enigmatic smirk.

"She was their top spy, until about eight years ago. Something went wrong on her last mission and she became bedridden for about fourth months. No one is exactly sure what happened, but once she recovered from what they guess to be curse, she became very simple, and childlike. Despite being 'damaged' she still retains a lot of the skills she had before her accident. If you get the chance ask her brother Garen, he'll say that Lux tells people that she isn't a light mage, she calls herself an ordinary mage. Now, if you excuse me I've got places to be." A fierce gust of wind suddenly knocks him away from her. Instead of asking further questions, he just lets her leave. Impossible!

Silently he just leans against the wall thinking about this new knowledge. Lilia Crownguard lied to him. His Ana, or rather, Luxanna wasn't tortured to death. Darius doesn't doubt that she tortured, but he should have suspected that she isn't dead. Instead of killing her, her mother simply tortured her until his Ana broke. For the longest time he thought he'd never get a chance to look into her beautiful eyes, but now he can...but the woman he loves is still dead. Instead of dead physically, she is dead mentally. Wait a minute...her beautiful blue eyes! Draven knew! And he knows when I lie, he'll demand that I set up that date once he finds out. He. Is. So. Dead!

Despite it being well into the AM hours, Darius yanks open his brothers bedroom door. Draven is sound asleep, curled up next to lovely young red heads. Stomping over to his brother, and his guests, he yanks off the blankets and pulls Draven out of bed. The two young women both shriek at the sight of him. Quickly they put on their clothes and dash out the door. Seemingly without a care, Draven lazily open his eyes and smirks at him.

"Told you they were beautiful...now about that date..." Draven snickers obviously enjoying himself, and completely unafraid.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you." Darius growls shaking his brother roughly.

"Because I figured out that Ana is alive, and got you to find out the truth yourself. I do enjoy being alive, so I won't insist on that date...but you do owe me. Now get out. Draven has important business to do in the morning." With that said, Draven closes his eyes, ready for sleep by the time Darius releases him. Sometimes I forget just how intelligent he is. But he is right, I do owe him one. Now what?

Silently he leaves his brothers room, softly closing the door behind him. Darius finds himself inside of his home sometime later. Unable to sleep, he paces back and forth across the living room floor. Not even that helps settle his thoughts, so he heads to his private training room. Shrugging off his armor, shirt and cloak Darius starts going the patterns of his most complex moves. Gradually his thoughts calm, and he starts to think clearly. Once he finds himself settled, the sun starts to rise above the horizon. Great, I got no sleep and I still don't have a plan. Out of habit, he gets ready for his day.

Once he finishes showering, eating his breakfast, and drinking three cups of tea he heads out to his job. As one of the highest ranked Generals in Noxus, his job is complex and each day is set aside for a different task. Today is a simple, mostly just completing paperwork. As he settles into his military office, his starts to go over the paperwork. Most of it is easy stuff, things to review and sign, but he fails to focus on the task at hand. Too many of his thoughts are wrapping up in Luxanna. Now that he knows she is alive, he wants to see her again. Darius wants to talk to her, get to know her again, he wants to be a part of her life. Emotions he thought long dead rise to the surface. For the first time, he no longer desires revenge. The original goal he set out to do is complete; find out what happened to her. Now he has something new to look forward too. Something he wants, but has no idea how to get. Idly he taps his finger against his metal desk, a loud tap tap tap noise filling the air. As the day progresses, a plan slowly formulates. It'll take time, and care, but he has a way to be a part of Luxanna's life again. He managed to woo her before, he'll just have to do it again. With a plan in mind, Darius returns to his paperwork. Tomorrow will be a fun day.


	6. ABLADD6

Cautiously Lux peers down the main hallway at the Institute of War. So far she hasn't seen Darius once today. This strikes her as very alarming. He's been very dedicated to finding her for the past several months. It isn't like him to just give up. She isn't certain what he wants from her, but it can't be good. A man who has spent the last five years slaughtering Demacians, and recently on a war path against her family, would want to just have a pleasant conversation. Hopefully he doesn't want her dead, but after his harsh reaction to seeing her up close doesn't help ease her anxiety of a sudden, violent end. Although she doesn't see him in the main hallway, or any of the common rooms, Lux can't shake the feeling that he is nearby. I'll better be extra careful. It is probably best I still don't walk down any of the main areas. Janna isn't here for me to visit, and I have no matches today, so I have plenty of time to explore.

A sigh of relief escapes her lips as she walks down on an abandoned hallway. The quiet hallways, with their aging look, have become like a second home to her. Completely alien to the clean, shiny look of Demacia it has an exotic appeal to her. Oddly enough, it reminds her of Noxus. However, it has been nearly a decade since she's set foot in Noxus. Lux's memories of how the place looks has since faded into dim images. Although she doesn't have clear memories of Noxus to compare side to side with the Institute, they still have the same vibe to her. If the design of this hallway is similar to the rest of the place, the hallway she is walking down leads to a dead end. Again, if it also follows the same pattern, there should be a workshop at the very end of the hallway.

Suddenly Lux stands still. She hasn't seen, or heard anyone approach her but the feeling of having someone close by sends a warning shiver down her spine. I should probably go someplace else. Someone is here with me, and I don't know wh- As she turns around to go back the way she came she runs into a solid wall of a person and bounces off. THE HELL?! Before she can fall a strong pair of arms take hold of her, keeping her on her feet. Blue eyes grow large at the sight before her. With a distinctly smug look on his face is Darius. Carefully he releases her, but shifts his weight to the right effectively blocking off her only escape route.

"I, uh, um...hello?" Lux says weakly. Using all of her self control, Lux forces herself to not back away. There is no place to run, and she doesn't want to show that she is afraid of him. Please don't kill me, please don't kill me, please don't kill me...is mostly what she is thinking. She is so surprised that she isn't thinking of a way to fight back.

"I won't hurt you." Darius says calmly. Slowly he raises his hands up, showing that he isn't armed.

"Ah, errr, how can I help you?" She asks slowly. What does he want?! A tiny part of her is pleased at being so close to him. Violently shoving that part of her deep inside Lux starts looking for answers to this situation. Nothing like this has happened to her before, and she has no idea what to do.

"I heard you're a chess player. I thought we should some games of chess." Darius says simply. Lux narrows her eyes at the faint look of amusement in his eyes.

"Okay, what is going on here Commander Darius? I know you hate Demacians, I know you hate my family, and I know that you aren't pleased to see me. I remember the first time I 'ran' into you." Lux says curtly. What is going on here?! I won't let him tease me! I'm not an idiot. He's up to something, but what? Her eyes narrow at his innocent looking face.

"Nothing is going on. Things have changed since I joined the League. Perhaps I have other reasons for talking to you, but none of them involve hurting you." His voice is even and calm. Again Darius raises his hands up showing that he is unarmed. Lux doesn't stop glaring at him.

"I see." Lux again says curtly. Reluctant to give into his obvious trap, but uncertain of how to escape she waits patiently for him to move out of her way. All she gets in return is a small smile, but he refuses to get out of her way. Despite her best glare, coupling with crossing her arms across her chest, and standing up to her full height in hopes of convincing him to move out of her way, he refuses to budge.

"I brought a small chess board. There is a relatively dust free room just down the hallway. We play some games, then I'll leave you alone." Darius says calmly. Again, Lux studies his face intently, looking for any signs of malice. All she finds is faint amusement.

"Very well. Lead the way." She says briskly. Silently he moves to her right side before starting to walk down the hallway. Lux is impressed with how quiet he movies while wearing full coat of armor. Carefully she calculates her chances of running away to safety, but she doubts she can get away in time. Part of her time is spent researching other champions, and how they move. Darius is very, very fast. A soft sigh of annoyance escapes her throat as she follows him. Sure enough, in small yet tidy room is an old wooden table, two chairs, and a small chess board. How did he pull this off! I've been avoiding him perfectly for the past few months. Something changed him, but what? What am I missing?

Politely Darius stands to the side, waiting for her to enter the room first. He's clever. He's not giving me any chances to get past him. Once she walks past him, he again moves to her right side. Like a gentleman, he pulls out a chair for her to sit on. Convent enough for him, it is the chair farthest from the exit. Smoothly he slides down in the opposite chair, giving her full view of the open doorway. Lux knows he gives trying to give her the feeling of safety, yet, his perfectly planned movements say otherwise. I'll lose quickly, get past him, and get the hell out of here!

Again, with practiced ease Darius moves a chess piece forward and waits silently for her move first. It has been a long time since Lux has had the chance to play a games of chess. Her fingers itch at the chance to play a game, to win a game, to prove that he isn't smarter than her. On the other hand, she wants to get to safety as soon as possible while maintaining her image of being relatively simple minded. Carefully she makes an opening move that anyone could make, beginner or expert. As the game progresses, Lux carefully studies the game as it unfolds, and Darius reactions to the game. His face to calm, collected, and friendly. It may have been years, but Lux recognizes what he is doing in this game - he's analyzing more than just how to win, he is watching how she wins. After every move she makes, with her very beginner mode mistakes, he studies her play style silently and intently; determining her skill level.

A part of her decides to make this a challenging, but only for herself. Just as much as he studies her skill level, Lux watches his reactions to her mistakes. I need to convince him that I'm a beginner, but I'm not just making it look like I'm a beginner. Darius is very smart, I'll need to do this carefully. Undeniably, Lux enjoys this game of deception. Nothing has challenged her intelligence like this in years, and the thrill of playing 'hide and seek' is very enjoyable. Another part of her is equally enjoying spending time with him. As time progresses, she calms down. The fear of a painful death fades away to nothing. Somehow, after all these years, she still finds peace and safety in his presence. Once the game is over, with Darius the victor, Lux starts to get up to leave. Rapidly his hand reaches out and gently pushes her down into the chair. THE HELL?!

"Not yet. We're not done playing." Darius voice is calming, friendly but unyielding. Nothing about him seems dangerous. Swiftly he puts the pieces back into place, before swinging the board around so she is the other side. Once everything is in place, he gives her a smug look.

"Your move." Is all he replies. Again, she is at the receiving end of a very calculating stare. Just as a carefully, Lux plays the game repeating her strategy of losing without looking like she is doing so on purpose. The game is over quicker this time with Darius as the winner. Again, before she can get up and leave she finds herself quickly, yet carefully, pushed into her chair for another round. They play for five rounds. In the very last match, Lux notices that he is going to let her win. The only way she'll lose this match, is to be obvious in her attempts to lose. Sneaky! He's testing me to see if I'm losing on purpose or not. Sorry Darius, but I'm just better at these kind of tactics. You're not going to trick me!

"That was enjoyable. We should play again sometime." Darius tells her firmly as he lets her go past him into the hallway. Not going to happen Darius! I won't get caught again. You may not want to hurt me, but you definitely want something! I won't fall into your trap.

"Right." Lux says politely. Careful not to give an affirmative response to playing again with him anytime soon, she turns to leave. Confident strides take her quickly down the hallway and away from him, without looking like she is running. Again, she uses a lot of will power to keep herself from turning around and looking back at him.

Once she is free of her obligations in the Institute, Lux makes a beeline for Demacia. If Janna was around, Lux would talk to her about this, but unfortunately she isn't. Requesting for her dinner to be delivered in her room Lux paces back and forth across the smooth marble floor. No matter which angle looks at today's encounter, she can't figure out what he wants from her. A more disturbing part of her thinking progress is what she wants from him. Spending the afternoon playing chess with Darius was the single most pleasant thing she's done in years that didn't involve eating apple pie. I thought things would get simpler once I saw him again! He was going to prove that he still hates me. Then I'd be able to get over him and fall in love with someone else. But, but...he doesn't hate me. And, I still care about him. Once she finishes eating her supper, Lux collapses on her bed and falls asleep. Dreams of Darius accompany her through the night.

There are two matches scheduled for her today. Both of them are in the morning, giving her the entire afternoon free. Janna, Shauna, Xin, and Ezreal are all preoccupied with business elsewhere, so she has no one to be with. Nothing in Demacia interests her, so Lux decides her time exploring more of the Institute of War. Carefully she checks the schedule roster to see if Darius has any matches lined up. To her relief, he isn't listed for today. Now that he has found me, I'm sure his daily searches for me are over! Confidence is in her every step as she exits from her last match. Both battles ended in victory for her. Not once has she spotted Darius, so she moves purposefully down the main hallway before ducking into a side corridor when no one is looking. After her experience yesterday, Lux decides to explore a different section.

As time passes, Lux starts to admire this section with deeper admiration. The carpet is of higher quality, and the few remaining wall hangings are of fine material. Dusty windows give the place an amber color. A tingle rolls down her spine indicating that she isn't alone. What? No one should be here! No one followed me I've been silent. Who wou- Abruptly spinning around Lux finds herself running into a familiar solid wall of a person. Once again she finds herself falling backwards in surprise, and again caught safely. Impossible! Blue eyes wide with shock, Lux finds herself standing next to Darius. His dark eyes are bright with amusement, while a smug smile tugs at his lips. Unlike last time, however, he doesn't release her arm.

"Come. I've found a pleasant place for us to play chess." Darius says softly. Carefully he starts to herd her towards a room further down the hall. Even though he has a firm grasp on her shoulders, his hands are gentle. For such a large man, with hands that could break her bones, his touch leaves no bruises.

"How...how...how...how..." Lux stammers in shock letting herself be lead down the hallway. The hell did he find me?!

"Nice to see you too." He chortles. Once again, he offers her the seat furthest from the door. Unlike last time, there are little tuna fish sandwiches, and cups of orange juice for them to enjoy. Lux studies him hard, lips pressed into a thin line. Somehow, he's managed to catch her off guard twice. Looks like he hasn't given up on finding me. When he looks for me tomorrow, he won't have any luck! I know his game now.

Once again Lux spends time playing five games of chess. Each time she is very careful to make her every move similar in style to yesterdays. Just like yesterday, he lets her win a round. Neither of them speak, but both of them take part in the refreshments. Once she got settled in, she completely relaxed in his presence forgetting to be annoyed. It wasn't until the match that he wants her to win, that she remembers why she's angry at him. Somehow, she feels safe near him and enjoys simply being with him.

"That was enjoyable. We should play again sometime." Is his parting reply, as he lets her storm past him. Lux glares as she parts ways. Yet, Lux refuses to give into his trap. What does he want from me? I refuse to be in his company! He may not want to harm me, but there are other things he can do.

"Right." Lux replies curtly as she storms past. This won't happen again, she vows.

Notwithstanding, Lux finds herself caught off guard by Darius every day! No matter which hallway she tries, how little she allows herself to be seen, or how much noise she makes, Darius finds her. The couple times she didn't venture into the older parts of the building, she still found herself running smack dab into his chest. A grudging admiration for his dedication fills her. Although she is unable to figure out what he wants from her, she can't deny his success rate. No one has ever beaten her at this game before. Parts of her pride sting at his constant success rate at corning her into a room ready for some games of chess. Other parts of her tingle with joy at his determination to be with her. While other parts of her are scared at what this all means. Something about his behavior seems oddly familiar, yet, she can't place what he's doing exactly.

Three weeks later, Lux sighs with relief. Janna has finally returned from her business in Zaun. Now she has a girl to talk to about her problem! The two of them agree to have coffee together early in the morning. Lux spends over an hour explaining her dilemma to Janna. Once she finishes, Janna laughs at her.

"Oh, good! It did work out." Janna states contently, giving Lux a sly look.

"What did you do." Lux rasps out annoying.

"He wanted to know why you are such a good ninja. So I told him that you were a spy for Demacia several years, until you had an accident." Again, Janna sounds very content with her plan.

"YOU TOLD HIM WHAT?!" Lux screeches standing up in shock. Fingers flicking in the air, Janna summons a breeze to sit Lux back down.

"Once, a long time ago, when I lived in a Zaun a black haired, blue eyed mage did me a great favor. I vowed to return this favor. It's taken me a while to figure out how, but I have. I've always wanted to play matchmaker! Once the chance came up to matchmaker, I couldn't refuse." Janna's voice sounds light and breezy. Without hearing a laugh in the traditional sense, Lux gets the impression that Janna is laughing into the wind.

"Now, if you excuse me. I have a match to get to. Goodbye Lux, see you later!" Janna calls out as she stands up and leaves.

Shock holds Lux in place. He knows that I'm his wife Ana! That thought, and all the implications that come with it crash into her. Now she understands his unusually friendly behavior. He hasn't forgotten about her, despite the short time they had been married. For reasons unknown, he still seems to care deeply for her. I guess one of the reasons why he tortured Lilia, and decided to hate my family, is because my mother did let him know something. And just because he hates my family name, doesn't mean he hates me. Absentmindedly, Lux chews thoughtfully on her lower lip. Now that she better understands Darius's motivations better, Lux ponders what she should do now. I don't know if he knows the whole truth. That he knows I only pretended to mentally break. I should work on the assumption that he doesn't. I'll wait and see how things work out. Once her lower lip started to get sore from all the chewing, Lux absentmindedly stops chewing on her lower lip, and starts to twist a lock of her hair between her fingers. Life suddenly became a lot more complicated. If anything about the trashy romances she reads are true Darius is courting her.

At first, unbound happiness fills her at this thought. She hasn't felt this giddy since she parted ways with him. Not only does he still care for her, he wants her back in his life. The man she fell in love with, still cares for her like he once did. Just as quickly as the happiness comes, it leaves. I still don't know what I should do! I still can't let anyone know that I'm married to him! Just because we're at peace doesn't mean that I'm safe from falling in love with him. Mindlessly, Lux taps her fingers against the table. In all of the tactic books she's read, none of them have advice on love. Certainly all of the romances she read had lots of advice, but she doesn't want to follow any of it. Lux gazes into her empty coffee mug thoughts milling around. The best I can do for now, is live in the moment. He may be courting me, but I still don't know what his ultimate end goal is. Does he want to 'remarry' me, marry Luxanna Crownguard? I may know he's courting me, and I may know his reasoning, but I still don't know what he really wants from me in the end. Around and around her thoughts turn, offering her no answers on how she should proceed.

As the time ticks by, Lux remembers that she has a match to get to in less than an hour. Neatly putting away her tray and dishes, she heads towards the transport room. Just as she reaches it, a familiar pair of arms stop her.

"Parts of the magic in the transport room is down. There are no more matches today. Let's go play some chess." Darius whispers in her ear. As Lux follows him towards his prearranged room, she makes a decision. I'll enjoy my time with him, but I refuse to a make a future with him.

"Since we play chess everyday...why don't we have a set place and time to met up?" Lux offers thoughtfully. For a brief second Darius pauses walking before continuing.

"That is an excellent idea. I do enjoy our games of hide and seek though." Darius laughs. Silently thanking the gods that Lux is behind him so he can't see her vibrant blush Lux just makes a small noise of acknowledgment.

"This room should suffice." He replies. Lux studies the room he invites her into. It isn't far off the main hallways, but far enough that the causal person won't stumble across it. Eyeballing the room, Lux notices that it is very clean. Clean enough, in fact, that he probably had it cleaned in advance. The part of her that anticipates these daily games of chess, shivers with delight. Lux enjoys these few hours with him. Not long into the second game of chess, Darius speaks up.

"What kind of books do you read?" He inquires without looking up from the board game.

"Oh! I like to read books on historical battles, unedited fairy tales from Ionia, and various books that interest me when I walk through the library." Lux states. It suddenly dawns on her that Darius starts a conversation with her, and she gives him an honest reply. She isn't certain that any one knows her true reading preferences. Refusing to look at him, a small blush crosses her face.

"Have you read the first edition of Liu Zin's book, 'The First Battle of Ionia'?" He asks, briefly looking up at her.

"No I haven't...I've only been able to find a third edition." Lux sighs looking sadly at the chess board. It is extremely difficult to find first edition books from Ionia in Demacia, and she loves Zin's books.

"I have a copy. I will bring it tomorrow." Darius tells her. Lux glances up at him, a wide happy smile on her face.

"Really? That will be wonderful..." Lux squeals. Nothing like tickling her love of books to get her excited.

"We'll meet here at 7:15 PM. Neither of us have matches well before then, or afterwards." Darius tells her with a grin. As Lux looks deep into his dark eyes, all she can see is the genuine pleasure at her reply. A small piece of her resistance melts inside. Maybe we can this work out...maybe we can have a future together. The remainder of their games are played in silence. But it is a comfortable silence.

At exactly 7:14 PM the next day, Lux arrives at the room. A quick glance inside reveals that Darius is sitting down already, with a dark green leather bound book at his side. Refreshments await as well. As she enters the room, Darius looks up at her with a smile on his face. Quickly he stands up, walks over to her chair, and pulls it out for her. Once she sits down, he carefully slides it towards the table. Lux gives him a shy smile. Despite all the years, parts of him haven't changed. He's still a gentleman, but he has the knowledge to act like one. Before, he would try his best to be polite, but his manners were rough around the edges. Again, they play their games in silence. This time, however, Lux takes small peaks at him as they play. Once their eyes met. Blushing hot, Lux stares back down at the table. Darius just lets out a small chuckle. At the end of their games, Lux gets up to leave. One finger gently trails down the spine of the book.

"Try to have it finished by the end of the week. See you tomorrow same time." Darius tells her before handing her the book.

"Thank you. See you tomorrow Darius." Lux says softly. Giving him a quick grin, and wave of her fingers she leaves. Maybe we can make this work out...no, we better not.

~Darius PoV earlier in the week~

It only took a bribe of two hundred and fifty gold to acquire the most updated map of the entire grounds. Large areas of it have been neglected for years, left to rot. As he pours over the map, he nods his head at all of the little side hallways and passages. For someone as good as Ana, No, not Ana... her name is Luxanna. Ducking in and out of the hallways would be a good way to avoid detection. Neatly folding up his map and tucking into a pocket in his cloak Darius heads out.

In order to avoid a lot of attention, he arrived here well before dawn. Most of the matches start later in the afternoon, so he should have plenty of time to prepare. Double checking to make sure no one is watching him, he strides off into the first side hallway. Shortly after leaving the area visible to the main corridor, the quality of the place degrades and runs out of lighting. One hand reaches deep into a different pocket and pulls out a hextech lantern. Using him thumb to turn on his light to the brightest setting he studies the surroundings. For the most part is it extremely dirty and dusty, but there is an obvious pathway formed on the dusty ground. Slowly and carefully, Darius follows the pathway making sure not to alter it, giving away his presence. A pattern soon arises.

A path through the all hallways and rooms within a short distance of the main area is evident. Taking careful mental notes, Darius builds a road map of her most popular hiding spots. Once he finishes mapping her popular traveling routes, he turns his attention to the other paths Lux has created. Again a pattern arises. She is methodically exploring the place, having a set pattern to where she starts each day. It doesn't surprise him that her favorite places to explore are the old mage workshops. Now that he knows where she'll be hiding for the day he makes his preparations. He is in luck today! Her destination is at the end of a hallway with only one way in and out. When he blocks the entire way out, she'll have to listen to him, and do what he wants. Darius wants her back in his life. Not just as a friend, but as his wife again. To do that, he needs to woo her back into loving him. Teeth grind together in rage at the reminder that Luxanna's mother tortured her daughter until she broke beyond repair. Although he knows that she is now simpler mentally, she is still sharp as tack. Just because she is more childlike doesn't mean she is stupid.

One of the things she used to love the most was playing chess with him. Engaging her on a mental level instead of a physical one is his plan. As beautiful as she is, Darius loves her for personality. A core part of her personality is her intelligence. There is plenty of evidence of her not being stupid, all he needs to do is convince her that they are compatible mentally, emotionally, and finally physically. If she falls in love with him again, and he will woo her there, nothing will keep them apart. Not Noxus, not her remaining family in Demacia, not the League of Legends, nothing will cause the agony of losing her again. Now that he has found her, he doesn't plan on letting her go. However, to reach that point he needs to start talking to her regularly.

As he backtracks through the hallway, he searches for a suitable place to play chess. Upon some searching, he finds a room with a sturdy table and two chairs. Carefully he places the chairs so both they are across from each other. One is in plain view of the door, while the other is between the table and only exit. Once the chairs and table are in place, he arranges the chess board. Perfect! Now to get settled in. Just as carefully, he backs out of the room. Using a small hextech device with a feather on it, he covers up his tracks through the hallway leaving behind no trace of his presence. Selecting in a nice, dim corner Darius settles in and waits for Luxanna to come exploring. As a soldier he developed a lot of patience waiting silently for battle.

After several hours he hears her approach. Silent he approves of her silent, cautious movements. Yet, despite being very cautious at being unnoticed, she is busy admiring her surroundings. Unlike his light from earlier, hers is dimmer and casts more shadows. Three seconds after she passes him, he quietly steps out from the wall directly behind her. Luxanna's instincts are good, as she turns around suddenly to leave. Unfortunately for her, she isn't expecting a rather large person to be blocking her path. As she crashes into him than bounces off his chest, he gently reaches to stop her from falling. A sensation like lightning dances through his hand at the tough of her silky skin. She still feels like heaven! At her shocked, and dismayed expression he feels rather smug at finally catching her off guard. After months of no success, finally catching her where he wants her feels really good. As she puffs out her chest in an attempt to intimidate him out of her way, he just shifts his weight blocking her way out even further. As she caves in and follows him, he carefully follows the plan.

Tiny parts him are alarmed at her beginner mistakes in the game, but a part of him is curious. Surely she hasn't forgotten how to play chess! After all, she was playing it for years. Taking note of each move she makes, and how she makes it Darius judges her skill level. Is she pretending to be terrible at this game? Only one way to be sure! Once the first game is over, he stops her from leaving and sets up another game. With each game, her skill level stays the same. Yet, a part of him still doesn't believe it. An idea comes to as their last match starts. Darius is going to let her win. After all, the only way she would lose this match is if she chooses too. And it would a lot of skill to get around his obvious attempts to let her win. To his disappointment, she wins. As she starts to leave, he implements stage two. Get her to play with him tomorrow.

To his great pleasure, and her extreme displeasure, Darius manages to catch her off guard again. With each passing day it gets more difficult to figure out her next place to hide. However, the challenge of success drives him to perfection each time. Gradually, she seems to be giving up at her attempts to constantly run from him. She should give up any day now. As he watches early one morning, he notices that she goes off to have coffee with Janna. As Darius leaves sight of her, he tries to think of where she'll go after her game. If his research is correct, the two of them will often spend entire afternoons together after being apart for a while. As he passes the entrance to the transport room a summoner stops him. Apparently the magic running the place is broken, and will be for the rest of the day. Perfect timing! Darius knows the abandoned hallways by the transport room. There is a suitable room for playing chess. Unlike before, he spends most of the day getting it clean and presentable. If he's correct, she should just be about ready for regular meeting times.

Again, he carefully hides himself in an area where she won't notice him as easily. To his delight she is really surprised, and distracted by the news of the League being down so herding towards his destination doesn't take much effort. Without surprise, she admits to just having a set meeting place and time. As their game progresses, he implements stage three. Engage her in conversation, and set up future topics of conversation. Luckily, she is interested in several books he has in his private collection. At her excitement at his book offering, Darius smiles inwardly. Things are going according to plan. I will make this work out.


	7. ABLADD7

Chapter Text

Nervously Lux chews on her bottom lip. Darius is late for their chess matches today. Sure, he's only three minutes late, but he's never been late before. Carefully perched in the center of their playing table is the book he lent her. The worn green leather binding has been well cared for, despite being well over three hundred years old. Finding a first edition of any of Liu Zin's books is very difficult. For reasons unknown there was a massive rework of all his books, radically changing their intended content with each edition.

The earliest edition she has ever been able to a get a hold of a second edition copy of his book, 'War Games Volume II', and to her utter dismay most of it had been damaged beyond readability. The vast differences in tone, content, and quality is stark between even the third and second editions of any of his books. It only took her one night to read the book cover from cover. However, having such a treasure in her possession causes her to reread it several times. Every time she reads the book, she learns something new. It is with great reluctance Lux is going to part ways with this priceless treasure. However, Darius is generous enough to let her read it and she is going to be courteous and return the book at the end of the week. Darius is exactly eleven minutes late, and by then Lux gives up on chewing on her lip and starts fiddling with her hair. A bright smile graces her face when Darius finally enters the room. As he walks towards her with looking slightly dismayed look on his face, he pulls out cookies from a pocket.

"Sorry for being late. Draven's boasting lasted longer than usual. I did bring apology cookies, however." Darius states. One hand carefully slides a couple cookies wrapped in plastic across the table towards her. One hand tucks the lock of hair she was playing with behind her ear before moving a pawn forward. Shortly after the game begins Darius speaks up. Normally their games are played in comfortable silence.

"What did you think of Zin's opinion of the battle of Shon-Xan?" Darius inquires curiously.

"I found it interesting that he had such a strong opinion on the subject matter of non essential supplies. All of the later edition books only mention basic things - food, water, weapons, clothing and the like. Currently, one wouldn't consider books on meditation, miniature sand gardens, and a rare type of tea to be important to a battle. If he is correct, however, the spiritual well being of the troops is what won the battle. The latest edition briefly mentions that they only won because they had superior weapons at the time." Lux replies honestly. No one has ever asks her such a question before. If the person were anyone other than Darius, she wouldn't even have an opinion to offer. None of the people in Demacia who work with troop formation, mechanics, and logistics would talk to her. To be honest, she doesn't want very many people to know she has any knowledge of the subject matter. However, Darius brought her an interesting book he has obviously read, and is able to discuss. He hasn't talked down to her, or treated her like a child. As far as he shows, he respects her as an adult, not the childish young girl she pretends to be.

"It is interesting that no one ever mentions these things in current books on tactics. However, I believe his opinion to be valid. There is a lot to be said about the effectiveness of troops who are motivated to win. Spirituality is important to Ionia, it makes sense that men and women who feel spiritually ready will be better in battle. Soldiers who do not fear death, but are ready for it instead are valuable. Increase their value as a troop hundred fold if they have someone they love to fight for." Darius states thoughtfully.

"That makes a lot of sense. What do you think about his advice on how to keep to keep soldiers focused while in boring terrain..." Lux asks back. This intellectual conversation with Darius is amazing. No one talks to her about things like this before. In fact, almost no one ever talks to her on serious subject matters. For the remainder of the evening, and well past the time they stop playing chess the two of talk about various troop motivations, and the methods behind them. At the end of the night Darius offers to lend her another a book, which he will have ready for her tomorrow. Being treated like a smart adult who has a valuable things to say pleases her on several levels. Before now Lux enjoyed a few pleasant hours with a friend. Now, however, now she eagerly awaits her time with Darius.

Nearly a month passes with a simple routine. Lux spends her mornings in Demacia, ever other afternoon talking with friends and fellow champions and magic practice. Although she has mastered the spells she uses on the Fields of Justice, there is nothing wrong with keeping her reflexes sharp. Every night though is dedicated to time with Darius. The two of enjoy a few games of chess over simple refreshments. During their games, and well afterwards they discuss books, current politics, subjects they both find interesting, and various other things. The happiest moments of her day are spent with Darius. Yet, each night she returns to Demacia Lux spends about an hour trying to convince herself that she doesn't love Darius anymore, or that she wants a future with him other than being friends. At this time in her life, she simply enjoys his company. Doesn't everyone eagerly look forward to spending a couple hours with a friend? Even if sometimes she spends some time wishing she could hold his hand...NO! Not going there again. Mentally shaking herself out of that line of thought, Lux prepares for her time with Darius.

Today she is returning his copy of a book on old Freljord legends. The few horror stories on the Watchers is practically chilling. Unlike most fairy tales, the stories on the Watchers seem more like hushed personal accounts instead of tall tales used to scare naughty children. By now a lot of people are whispering about her mysterious suitor. Although she spends a lot of time with Darius, both of them keep their shared time together secret. People seem to think that she has a secret Beau she runs off with each night for hot romance. Several people have tried trailing her to see who this suitor is, but none of them have any luck. Their sad attempts to follow her, keep her mostly amused. Speaking of amusing, for the past week Darius has been letting her 'win' more often, and with greater point differences as well.

By now, Lux has slowly started to increase her chess skill level. At some point the thought of playing a serious game of chess with him, without needing to hold back, gives her excited shivers. However, for now she is focusing on her increasing win rate. Very skillfully, and subtly, Darius has been allowing her to win with impressive results. She isn't certain what his game is, but he has some reasoning behind it. As she walks into the room Lux gives Darius a big grin. Quickly plopping down in her seat Lux gently places the book down near the center of the table. To her surprise a Freljord summer apple is resting on the table. There are few foods she loves more than apples, or anything with apples in them. Some of the best apples one can get are Freljord. For some reason they just grow tastier there. Considering the far distance between Demacia and the Freljord, getting a hold of such apples is rare and expensive.

Lux's eyes widen with delight at the sight of the apple, then narrow dangerously at the look on Darius's face. He has a smug look on his face. A look that screams he has something he wants and is willing to cheat to get.

"Okay, what do I need to do to earn the apple?" Lux says without preamble. Crossing her arms across her chest she waits for his terms.

"Haha. You're too clever by half Luxana! I thought we could have a friendly bet over some games. If you win the best out of three games, you can have the apple." His voice is innocent sounding, and Darius attempts to look harmless. He fails to do so.

"And what do you get if you win, hmm?" Lux asks raising one eyebrow questioningly. AHA! I knew there was a reason for him letting me crush him in chess. He was luring me into thinking I'll win easily. Calculating blue eyes stare into equally calculating dark eyes.

"If I win, I get a kiss." He says simply. Although he doesn't look any different, Lux can sense his smugness.

"What?!" She yelps, voice high. A hot blush crosses her face. Lux isn't certain what shocks her the most, the fact that he has set up such a sneaky method to get a kiss, or the fact she wants to have him kiss her. Now what do I now? He'll really want to win, so if I manage to pull off a best out of three, he'll know that I've been pretending to be a terrible player. He thinks that my mother broke me, I can't let him find out the truth! As her thoughts mill around, Lux doesn't realize she is standing perfectly still with a thoughtful look on her face. She also doesn't see the growing smirk on Darius's face at her reaction. Argh! He's clever! The sad thing is, I want him to win. I want to see how his kisses feel again. ARGH! No! I'm not supposed to fall in love again. Damn it! Suddenly dropping herself out of her thoughts, she glares at him.

"If you don't to take the bet, I won't force you. But I'll also get to enjoy this apple as we play." Darius says slyly. Her eyes narrow even further at him.

"Fine. You're on! But I'm winning this bet." Getting comfortable, Lux makes the first move. Unlike several of their previous matches these ones are done incomplete silence. Already deciding to let him win, Lux watches him skillfully manipulate the game flow. By now she has developed a deep respect for his ability to play the game to get his results without making it seem like he is putting in any serious effort. Unsurprisingly, she 'wins' the first match, and quite well. Again, with no shock she loses the next game, but only barely. As the third game begins, her heart starts to pound, and she has a permanent blush on her face. The two of them both know how this match is going to end. Both of them know that their relationship will change after this.

"Check mate." Darius smugly. A contented smirk again crosses his face as her red blush turns nearly purple. Palms sweating, Lux stands up from her seat. Nervously she wipes her hands against her shirt. Slowly Darius stands up and walks over to her. Carefully he lowers his close head to her ear and whispers softly.

"Relax, it won't hurt." His voice is husky with desire. Lux finds her face gently tipping upwards as his uses his hand to slowly lift her face upwards to meet his.

As his lips gently brush against hers, Lux feels like her whole body suddenly catches on fire with desire. She'd forgotten how intense the feel of his lips are against hers, and now that she is reminded, her body flushes hotly from head to toe. A tiny moan of pleasure escapes her lips, and Darius takes that as an invitation to slide his tongue into her mouth. As his tongue gentle teases hers, Lux feels her knees feel slightly weak and she grabs hold of his shirt. One of his arms snakes around behind her, holding her close. She feels his fingers rub slow circles against her lower back. As the kiss breaks apart, she moans his name softly. An intense look she hasn't seen years fill his eyes.

"That didn't hurt, did it?" Again his voice is deep and husky.

"N-no. It didn't. I-I should um, go now..." Lux says quickly as she draws away from him. As he releases his hold on her Lux straightens her back. Before she leave, however, Darius hands her the apple.

"Here, take this. You'll enjoy it more than me." Darius says softly. Instead of a smug look on his, a more tender one takes its place. As Lux leaves the room, she turns around and looks back. A wistful look is on his face.

"T-thank you!" She yells at him before walking away. The entire way home, all Lux can think about his the feel of him against her. It has been so long she has been turned on like this, she's forgotten about how distracting it is. She knows their relationship is going to change after they kiss, but Lux isn't certain how her emotions would change towards him. As Lux walks through her bedroom door, and closes it slowly behind her does she take a bit of the apple. An amazing burst of crispy sweet flavor fills her mouth. Never before has an apple tasted this sweet. Thoughtfully, and slowly, she eats the apple. As her thoughts drift away from Darius a part of her notes how ironic the apple is. How many cultures use apples as signs of forbidden fruit? To her, Darius is a forbidden fruit she has tasted once before. Nothing else can compare, and a part of her desires another taste. Yet, the apple is still forbidden.

A working relationship with Darius is impossible. Lux isn't the same foolish girl she was when she first married him. There are many things that make it impossible. Although she is unhappy, she still has responsibilities. The League of Legends is still young, there are still conflicts ready to burst out. Demacia needs her as a champion. So many people need her to do things; her family, her duty as nobility, her job as a champion, her unofficial role helping Shauna kill monsters, and so many little things that she can't remember right now. As she thinks these thoughts, tears start to flow down her cheeks. I-I want to be with him. I don't want to l-live here, doing the things I d-do. Yet, there is more to life then my selfish desires. Once she finishes the apple, and she eats every bit of it except the seeds Lux lies down on her bed. For the first in over a year, Lux cries herself to sleep. I should just avoid Darius, and stop seeing him. It'll be better in the long run for both us.

Early morning light peeks into her room from an open window. Her head hurts, but she forces herself out of bed. Gently tapping her fingers against her skull, she banishes the headache. Lux spends a few moments admiring the sunrise. Pink, yellow, and orange hues paint across the buildings. Small, low lying clouds seem to have a golden tint to them. It is a beautiful sunrise, completely obvious to the hollow ache in her heart. Morning habits soon take over, and Lux goes through her morning routine. Soon enough she has eaten, is presentable, and ready to go out. As she steps out of the Crownguard estate, and onto the streets a familiar illusion covers her face. No one needs to learn about her inner turmoil.

Again, out of habit she finds herself in a training room for magic practice in the Institute. Sorrow gradually fades into rage. Lux pushes herself to her very limits, trying to calm down. Blast after blast explodes from her wand flashing brightly. By the end of an hour, she is breathing heavily but still unable to calm down. However, she is exhausted and has to stop. After wiping off all the sweat with a towel, Lux heads out towards the hallway leading to the room where they play chess. As she reaches just outside of the entrance to the transportation room, Darius walks out of the room. Their eyes meet and lock. Lux feels a blush crossing her face. Before either of them can do something, however, something weighty suddenly drapes itself over her shoulder. THE HELL?! Turning her head Lux spots Ezreal, who has put his arms around her shoulders. Before she can react, he pulls her into one armed hug and kisses her cheek.

"I'm so glad I found you so soon! I have the greatest adventure planned for the two of us. C'mon let's get out of here." Ezreal exclaims loudly. As she starts to protest he grabs her by the arm and drags her away from the way to Darius. Once the two of turn a corner he sweeps her up into his arms and arcane shifts a different way.

"Ezreal! What do you think you're doing?!" Lux yelps. A part of her enraged at his behavior. Not once does he ask for permission to take her somewhere.

"I'm taking you on an adventure for two! I have some free time set up in Piltover for us to enjoy together. Don't worry about anything. I've already worked out a deal with the summoners. Neither of us will be summoned for the next week." Ezreal exclaims proudly. Rather quickly the two of them find themselves at a train station.

"Our train will be here any moment." He says smugly, obviously pleased with his quick get away with her.

"Why are you doing this?" Lux asks indigent.

"I realized that someone else was competing for your attention. I realized that I had to act fast in order to snatch you up. So, I planned out this vacation. By then end of the week, you'll know who the only man for you is." Ezreal tells her with a wink. Lux looks at him, then thoughtfully behind her. To her dismay, she doesn't spot Darius. If I go with him...I'll know for sure that I can have a future with Ezreal. I'll have a way to finally get over Darius.

"You're right Ezreal, I will know by the end of the week." Lux tells him softly. Soon after her statement their train arrives. Lux watches the Institute of War grow smaller behind her. Her heart feels heavy. Sure, she can build a realistic future with Ezreal. In fact, marrying him will be the smartest choice for her. Yet, she still can't stop thinking about Darius. I'm sorry Darius, but this is for the best...As the night grows later, Lux finds herself nodding off to sleep. Sweetly Ezreal pushes her sleepy head against him for her to use a pillow. As she fades off into dream land, her only thoughts are of the intense look in Darius's eyes.

Much to her surprise, Ezreal really did plan out everything. Once they arrived in Piltover, she found he had a cab waiting for them. He has booked them a fancy room, with two separate beds!, for them to stay in together. All waiting for her is a selection of clothing. Mostly dresses, but everything else needed is there. A tiny part of her is very annoyed at his choice of undergarments for her. They aren't very modest, or practical. Yet, they were all she has so she makes due. The entire week is a whirlwind of activity. Ezreal takes her out to plays, to see fireworks, out to eat, and all kinds of places. All week he is witty, charming, and dashing. Despite all of his efforts, Lux doesn't feel anything romantic towards him. All the times they hold hands, there is no spark. No rush of emotion. Unlike with Darius, when she talks with Ezreal, most of the time he spends talking about himself. Sure, he has interesting things to say but the conversations are pretty much one sided. By the second to last day, Lux is miserable.

The entire week she spends thinking about Darius. Whenever she touches Ezreal there is nothing there, no matter how romantic the setting is. The few times they kiss Lux is bored. More than bored in fact, she feels disgusted at herself. What I'm doing with Ezreal is wrong. I won't be happy with him. Even if I married him just for the sake of my family, I'll be miserable. It would also be unjust towards him. Why lock both of us in a relationship when I don't love him? Another part of her is disgusted because she is still married. I'll give Ezreal my answer. I'll tell him that he isn't the man I want in my life. As the two of walk into their hotel room together, Lux tries to find the right words to say. Her fingers twist together anxiously, trying to find the nicest way to reject Ezreal. Before she can tell him anything, he gently pushes her against the wall, kissing her deeply.

"Ezreal stop." Lux says shoving him away. Instead of moving away he presses himself tighter against her.

"Ezreal let me go!" Lux snaps trying hard to push him away. Instead he pins his entire body weight against her, trapping her against the wall. Eyes hot with desire he kisses her again, forcing his tongue into her mouth. Angrily she bites his tongue in protest. He pulls out his tongue, but he uses one hand to grab a hold of her hair and pull her head to look at him.

"Stop struggling Lux! You know want this. I know you want me. Just enjoy this..." Ezreal purrs softly pressing on his hands against her right breast. Shifting his weight slightly, Ezreal pushes his knee between her legs spreading them wide.

"I SAID NO! LET ME GO NOW!" Lux screams at him. The hand that he was using to her hair with releases her before slapping the side of her head. Stars swim in Lux's vision as panic starts to set in. As much as she struggles he doesn't stop touching her, one of his hands shoving her dress upwards. Deep inside, a part of Lux snaps. A rage she doesn't know possible bubbles through her fear and into the surface. Instead of physically shoving Ezreal away, Lux releases a burning blast of bright magic. Similar to her beloved ultimate a blast of rainbow hued light burst out around her, burning everything in its path. Dropping to the ground screaming agony, Ezreal covers his face with one arm. Already burns cover all his bare skin. Loud gasps of air escape from Lux in a hurry. Mentally she attempts to breath normally. With her hands trembling, Lux smoothes out her dress, pulling it back down.

"You're right about one thing Ezreal. I do know who the only man for me is, and you aren't him!" Lux screams in rage. Without looking back Lux storms out of their room, and down the stairs. Once she gets out of eyesight, tears start rolling down her cheeks. The cold reality of what almost happened shakes her to the core. Both arms wrap around her chest for comfort, as Lux looks for someplace to go. Too ashamed to ask for help, Lux looks around helplessly. Loud booming thunder echoes around her. Flashes of lightning are soon dancing in the air above her. A cold, pelting rain starts to fall. Aimlessly, Lux wanders down the street looking for a place to stay. A blessedly familiar site appears just a few blocks in front of her. Although closed, a transportation station is nearby. Just because someone isn't there to operate the spell for her doesn't mean she can't do it herself. One of the many spells she mastered early was a spell to teleport the hell away. She has the raw power to use the spell, however, she needs a focus point for the energy.

Larger drops of rain start falling harder, sucking away what little warmth she has. No one is nearby, so Lux creates a lock pick to break in with. Once she starts fiddling with the lock, she searches for magical alarms. There is one, but is simple and easily overridden. It takes her a couple tries, but Lux manages to break into the building. Careful not to attract attention, Lux studies each teleporting platform. Most of the platforms lead to places she doesn't recognize. Just as she starts to give up hope, the very last one is keyed to the Institute of War. Yes! Freedom! From there I can get back home. Back to Darius, if he still wants me. Considering her abrupt departure without a goodbye, she is afraid of what he thinks of her. I'm an idiot. I should have not gone with Ezreal. I should have just explained to Darius that I just want to be friends. I may really, really want to be more then friends...but it isn't happening, it isn't possible.

Once she is ready on the correct platform, Lux gathers magical energy to herself and casts the spell. A blue glow surrounds her teleporting her away. It has been a long time she has used that much energy, and she arrives at the Institute rather dizzy. An indignant summoner approaches her.

"Excuse me miss but you did just did an unauthorized teleportation to a private facility and..." A pompous young man tells her. Before he can finish Lux graces him with her best glare. The only emotional power she has left is rage. All she can do is use her anger to get to safety, before she can collapse.

"I'm a champion of the League, and if I want to fucking teleport to my job I can! Now. Get. Out. Of. My. Way." She snarls. The young summoner takes a good look at her, recognizing who she is. A look of fear crosses his face.

"A-ah, yes Lady Crownguard. I apologize for my rude behavior. Is there anything I can get for you?" He practically begs.

"Just get out of my way so I can go home to Demacia." Again she says this a snarl.

"I-I-I'm terribly s-s-sorry, but most of the summoners who operate the transport spells have gone home for the day. I-it was amazing you found someone powerful enough to get you here. There isn't anyone s-strong enough to get there and..." Lux growls darkly before shoving past him. Although she has enough raw power to get her home, suddenly having the ability to teleport home would be a huge tip off. It would give away a secret she refuses to tell. It is a huge risk to get from Piltover to here, but she didn't have a choice.

Briefly Lux pauses to consider her options. However, she quickly decides to start moving again. Her body is soaking through and through with frozen rain water. She isn't wear much to begin with, the moment she stops moving a bone deep chill starts to take over. I don't think anyone from Demacia will be here this late, neither will Janna, I highly doubt Darius is...now what? Who can I ask for help before I freeze to death? A flash of inspiration comes to her. One of the champions, Riven, lives here. Although she doesn't usually talk to Riven, the two of them are on friendly terms. Surely, Riven will give her shelter for the night. Now where is her apartment?

Refusing to stop moving, Lux heads down one of the main hallways she doesn't visit very often. As reaches a main intersection she runs into a solid wall of person and bounces off. Oof! A blessedly familiar pair of arms catches her. In front of her, looking very concerned is Darius. A part of her breaks inside. The part of her that had kept her going, kept from stopping and giving in gives in. In front of her is a source of warmth and safety. Before he can say anything she hugs him tightly before bursting into tears. As his arms warm around her in a hug she buries her face in his chest.

"What happened to you?" Darius inquires softly. All she does is shake her head side to side, refusing to speak. I-I-I can't tell him. Not yet.

"You look like something the cat dragged in. A cold, wet frozen something the cat dragged in. Let's go get you someplace warm. I wouldn't be much of a friend if I let you freeze to death." Swiftly, she finds herself swept up in his arms. All she does is keep a firm on his shirt, and her head buried against his chest out of sight. Lux isn't certain where Darius takes her only that it appears it to be small room attached to a training room. Gently she finds herself set down on a chair in front of a fireplace. Darius takes off his cloak and wraps it around her. Once she is settled in, he starts a small fire. As she stares into the flames, warming up she welcomes his comforting embrace. The two of them sit side by side, sharing body heat. A loud yawn escapes her. It has been a long emotional evening, and she is getting tired.

"You can fall asleep here, I'll make sure you'll be warm and safe. What happened?" Darius says reassuringly. Before she drifts off to sleep leaning against she murmurs her answer.

"I cheated." Lux whispers softly before drifting off to sleep.


	8. ABLADD8

As Lux starts to drift out of sleep and into wakefulness, she notices something is rather off with how her mornings usually start. Instead of being in a comfortable bed, she is leaning against a warm, large solid object. The...hell...? Oh yeah. Ezreal...and Darius...and...and...oh shit! Abruptly transitioning from a pre-coffee groggy mind state into fully awake and dismayed Lux stiffens and moves away from Darius rapidly. The gentle pressure of his arm holding her close releases as she moves away.

"Um...good morning?" Lux says sheepishly as she peers upwards at Darius. He gives her a small smile before leaning forward slightly and kissing her forehead. Again Lux feels the jolt of pleasure at the feel of his lips against her skin.

"Good morning. Care to explain what happened last night? You were a bit...upset. Your answer of, 'I cheated' didn't explain why you were wandering lost through the Institute at that time of night drenching wet." Darius says, his voice soft and concerned.

Untangling her arms from the cloak cocoon, Lux crosses them across her chest thinking what to say. He deserves the truth. The whole truth, not the half story everyone else knows. And if he hates me for lying to him afterwards...well I deserve it. For the longest time Lux has refused to tell anyone the truth. The whole truth. As her time with Darius grew on, her resistance towards keeping the truth from him weakened. The agony of keeping the whole truth from her friends, Shauna and Xin is agongizing. The feelings of relief when she found out that she had one less lie to keep was amazing. Lux wants to tell Darius the truth. The whole truth, so she can finally be free of the weight of her lies. Lux never wants to hurt Darius, and she knows the longer she keeps her a past a secret, the more it'll hurt him.

As Lux tries to think of the best way to tell him, she starts to chew on her bottom lip. Darius doesn't say anything else, just waiting for her answer. Deciding on the best course of action Lux makes up her mind on how best to tell him. Carefully Lux places her right hand over his lips, preventing him from saying anything.

"Darius, I'm going to tell you a story. No matter what I say, don't interrupt me. Please." Lux says softly before removing her hand. All he does is nod his head, before wrapping one of his arms around her, holding her close again.

"A long time ago a young Demacian spy feel in love with a Noxian orphan. Despite her job, and her duty to her to people and family, she married him. This young woman headed back to her old home morning following her wedding night. There were some belongings she wanted to retrieve, and to finish her last assignment. Along the back, she discovered that she was with child." Lux's voice is soft. Taking in a deep breath of air, then releasing it, she continues.

"She was foolish, and spent too much time deciding on what to take back. Before she could leave, her mother found out about the marriage. Furious at her daughter for marrying beneath her station and ruining the family name, she locked away her daughter. Each day the mother tortured her daughter, demanding to know the truth. The young woman knew once she told her mother the name of her husband, he would be killed. So she refused, and each day she was tortured.

"The pain on her body so great, that she lost her child. Due to the pain of losing her child, and the pain inflicted by her own mother, she went crazy. All she thought about was revenge. So, one day several months later she cheated. She did something no Demacian had ever done before. She lied about her mental state, she tricked all the people around her. No one suspected she would do this. After all, Demacians are trained to fight with honor until death. As the years passed she devoted most of her time to finding the perfect revenge. The day she lost her child, a part of her died inside. She lost all ability to feel any emotion but hurt, and anger. Years passed, all she did was act happy and carefree in front of the whole world. Inside her heart was numb, and nothing mattered.

"As the years passed, she kept tabs on her husband. He rose to a position of great power, but in his methods made her sad inside. The man she loved was no more. One day, her world was shattered. Instead of getting the chance to kill her mother, the very man she married killed her mother. He inflicted a death upon her greater than anything the young woman could have possibly done. Now, her entire purpose in life was gone. She had no reason to live. However, she was in luck. A musician whose music could cure the soul saved her. For the first time in several years, her soul was no longer dead inside. Someone suggested that she look into the League of Legends.

"She did, and what she found pleased her. For the first time, she could have a purpose outside of Demacia. She could have freedom again. So she joined the league and made friends. One of the friends courted her, but she wasn't interested in him. Then one day her husband joined the League, and her world became very conflicted. She found that she still loved his company and grew more conflicted. Then one day, the man who was courting her took away. She thought if she tried hard enough, she could love him instead of her husband. In the beginning, she thought it was possible until one night...one night...the young man wanted more then she was willing to give. He tried to take it by force. So, she escaped before anything bad could happen. She returned to her husband, no longer conflicted by her feelings. However, she knows that a future with him isn't possible. There is too much both of them have to do for their countries to make it work." Lux says sadly. At some point during her story, his body went stiff with emotion. I should go now. He knows the truth, and it is time for our futures to finally go in the correct direction. With a sad sigh, Lux starts to stand and walk away without looking back. However, before she can finish standing a pair of strong arms draws her close against him. Gently she finds herself scooped up and cradled against his chest. He doesn't hate me...

A small sob escapes her lips. How long has she wanted to held in his arms like this? Again she buries her head against his chest. Her hands cling to his shirt. Darius still doesn't say anything, just holds her close. The longer she cuddles against the harder her sobs get. After a while her tears subside. For a few more moments she continues enjoying to be held in silence, before Darius a deep breath. As he speaks, his warm breath brushes her skin, and his deep voices vibrates against her rib cage.

"I'd always wondered what had happened to my Ana. Now I know, and...I'm sorry. I should never have let you go. Let's go get something eat, then I have some personal business to attend to." Darius tells her. As Darius stands up, Lux finds herself carefully set down on her own feet.

"As much as you want to...you can't kill Ezreal. He's a champion of the League, and the trouble you'll get into for you slaughtering him isn't worth it." Lux states firmly. Already feeling immensely better, Lux looks around at her surroundings. Darius growls unhappily at her statement.

"I have personal business to attend to that needs my immediate attention. Food will have to wait. I know you almost always have matches against Ionian champions on Saturdays, so you'll need to hurry up and get ready. Tomorrow we can talk during some games of chess. Same time?" Lux asks with a sad smile. Parts of her are breaking inside. Almost of her being wants to follow Darius to get some food. To ignore the league, to ignore her family, to ignore everything but him. However, the other parts of her struggle and gain control of her desires.

"Tomorrow." Darius agrees. Lux can see the look in his eyes says otherwise, but he respects her request. Darius, I'm sorry...but this won't work.

Back straight, composure calm and collected Lux strides toward a transportation room. No one says anything to her, but she notices that people are giving her speculative glances. Mentally she just pushes their attention to the side and focuses on the task at hand. Although the trouble of killing Ezreal isn't worth it, he won't be allowed to continue doing what he does. As she arrives in Demacia, Lux heads straights towards the communication room. With each step she takes, she carefully reviews her plan. By the time she reaches her destination what she wants to say to ready. It takes her some time, but her requests to Officer Vi, Officer Caitlyn, and Jayce are complete and sent. Lux isn't certain if Vi and Cait can do anything legally to Ezreal, but they should have him on record. As for contacting Jayce...well, all the ladies love him. He's a gentlemen towards women, it shouldn't take too much convincing her on part to have him ruin Ezreal's reputation with women. No female will want to be near Ezreal by the time Jayce is done. Patiently she waits for replies to messages.

Vi is the first one to reply, and she replies for both her and Cait. The two of them are spitting mad, but agree there isn't much they can do legally against him. However, they did put him on file for any future complaints. Jayce replies later, and his reply is wonderful. Not only will he convince the women in Piltover for every wanting to spend time with Ezreal, but he'll make sure everyone women possible will hate him. Lux knows that Jayce really enjoys the companionship of the opposite gender, but he is gentleman about it. He never uses force to get his way. Once her personal business is complete, Lux goes to get some food.

Luckily for her, there is no one in the Crownguard dining hall as she munches thoughtfully on her meal. Chicken noodle soup, white raspberry tea, small cucumber sandwiches, and a slice of hot apple with vanilla ice cream await her. All of it tastes like heaven. Once she finishes her meal, her fingers tap against the large oak table. Tap, tap, tap noises fill the room echoing around. No one is around to chastise her for being unladylike. Long after her meal is done with, Lux plots her next move. Life is a chess game, and she has been master of tactics for a long time. Just because she can't have a future with Darius as his wife, doesn't mean she can't spend time with him. A sigh escapes her lips as she stands up to head to her room. Politely she asks one of the closest servants, a young man named Hansel, to bring her supper to her room.

Safely tucked away in her room, far away from prying eyes, Lux starts to plan. No one should learn of the feelings between her and Darius. Not only would it be bad for her, it would be terrible for him. She doesn't know much about the inner politics of Noxus, but surely one of their leading generals marrying a Demacian noble wouldn't be good for his career. Eventually Garen will start to inquire about her crush. She knows he cares for her on some level, but his primary love is for Demacia. Once he finds out that she loves Darius, it would be very bad for her. It wouldn't surprise her if her father would kill her if he finds out the truth. Her father, Juxen, is just about as zealous to the reputation of the Crownguard name as her mother. Currently Darius is safe from her father, but she isn't. For the longest time he was just aloof, and focused mostly on Demacian politics. Once his wife died, however, a hatred grew in his heart. The very rare times Lux has seen his feelings towards Darius surface, it scared her. He wouldn't hesitate to lock her away in a dungeon to rot, if not worse.

If only thing are different. It isn't her love of her family that keeps her here, nor her duty towards her family, it is her responsibilities. However, a small part of her whispers seductively about if her responsibilities couldn't be covered by someone else. Demacia has plenty of champions now. There are other shining heroes for her people to admire. She is miserable here, doesn't she deserve to be happy? After all, things couldn't be worse if she had a future with Darius. No! I will not go down that path! I've already dedicated my life to Demacia, I can't back out now.

Several hours later a servant politely knocks on her door, before leaving her supper at the entrance. As Lux picks it up and returns to her room, the aroma of food makes her mouth water. Someone, probably Nancy the head chief, prepared one of her favorite evening meals. Hot, golden scones with honey butter, apple fillet chicken with a tasty brown glaze, Ionian green tea, and a fresh salad with raspberry vinaigrette await her. Absentmindedly she consumes her dinner, enjoying it without paying it much heed. Blue eyes gaze out across the city, watching it change colors with the setting sun. Lux smiles to herself, despite of her sadly thoughts. Life is beautiful and she needs to enjoy it while she can. How she can do it without getting slaughtered by her family is another matter to plan carefully.

Per usual, Lux follows her morning routine out of habit. As she observes the people around, she notices with chagrin that a lot of them seem amused by something. It is no secret that Ezreal swept her off her feet about a week ago for a romantic getaway. Ever since joining the League, and her subsequent close friendship with Ezreal, people have speculated about her future with him. Rumors must be flying everywhere about her early return, and in such a state as well. Unfortunately, it appears that people seem to think the better of her 'relationship' with Ezreal, instead for the worst. A plus side, however, is that people have assumed that her secret beau is Ezreal, not anyone else. Thank goodness for small favors.

There are five matches waiting for her today, all right after each other. Just because she wasn't summoned for a week didn't mean she wasn't free of her job. In fact, returning after such a long break seems to have made her more busy! Luckily, Lux gets out of her last match in time to meet up with Darius. Sure enough, she has a couple of people bound and determined to find out who she meets up with secret that she dodges them skillfully. As she heads towards her meeting place, her heart starts to beat faster. Uncertain of what will happen between the two of them, but she is certain that it will be wonderful. Maybe with lots of kisses wonderful! Equally excited for anything involving Darius's lips, is the challenge of playing some serious games of chess with him.

As she walks into the room and doesn't spot Darius in his customary seat causes her to sigh sadly. Before she walk much further into the room, however, a strong pair of arms pull her into a hug from behind. A small shower of soft, butterfly kisses rain down on her. A hot, excited blush crosses her as desire spikes through her body. Just as quickly as the kisses started, they stop. As a soft groan of disappointment escapes her as Darius chuckles softly.

"When we get to that stage, I want it to be special." He whispers softly in her ear, before gently pushing her towards the table. Perched on top of the table is the customary chessboard, small refreshments and drinks. What is new to the assemble is a small candle, giving off a warm glow. To her delight, the book he promised to bring her the day Ezreal kidnapped her is also there.

"You remembered the book." Lux says gleefully. Before he can react she turns around and gives him a strong hug. Darius returns the hug, and Lux smiles happily.

"Of course. Shall we," Darius says courteously. One hand reaches and pulls out her chair. Once she finishes sitting down, he pushes her chair up the table. Lux smiles inside at the anticipation of their game. The two of them discuss the book she read last as they play chess. In the first match, she soundly defeats with him a smirk on her face. He gives her an acknowledging grin in return, before starting the next match. As the game progresses, Lux is never happier. For once she has a truly challenging opponent. Merely being in his company, treated as an equal in ways is bliss. I wish...No! Still not going there! I have responsibilities and so does he! Again, their time together runs late into the night. As she promises to meet up with him tomorrow, the look in his eyes gives her a brief pause. There is something in his intense gaze that speak more than just desire, but of a determination. Before she can give it much more thought, Darius draws her close against him.

One finger gently tilts her head upwards. A fierce blush crosses her face, and lips part slightly in anticipation. Darius does not disappoint her as he leans down for a kiss. The intensity of the kiss shocks her. As the waves of pleasure ripple through her and her knees grow weak both of her hands wrap around his neck to help her standing. His arm wrap around her waist, drawing her even closer. As the two of them enjoy this moment of pleasure Darius reluctantly draws away. Tenderly he gives a light kiss on the forehead before whispering hotly in her ear.

"I won't lose you again." His voice is full of emotion, and a determination that surprises her. To her shock, Lux doesn't say what she means to say.

"I'll try." She replies back. Oh shit! Wrong answer! Shit! Shit! Shit! I shouldn't make promises I can't keep! Before she can retract her statement and tell him differently the look in his eyes stop her. No one has ever looked at her that way before. Darius has never verbally told her that he loves her, but the look in eyes tells her that he does. Lances of pain shot through her chest at that look. More than anything she wants to be with him, to keep that look in his eyes. The thought of his disappoint pains her. Maybe...maybe...maybe there is a way. This isn't just about my feelings, he has a say in this too. And I know what he wants. With a smile, and a wave, Lux departs from his company book in hand. A desire to not hurt Darius fills her, and takes up a lot of thinking as she heads to Demacia. No matter how much she looks their problem, she still can't think of a solution.

Over the course of a couple months, things continue along smoothly. People still whisper about her secret relationship, but no one has managed to catch her. To give them credit, however, Lux admits that they don't give up easily. The onetime Garen tried to bully her about her special someone, she managed to just smile and get him to drop the subject matter. After all, she knows that he loves Katarina. All it takes from her is a simple, 'Do I go around pestering you about your love life? I mean red heads are sexy...' and he shuts up. Although the two of them have a silent agreement by now, the topic of their love life is not up for discussion. Personally, Lux has the better end of the deal. She knows who he likes, but he doesn't know that her love life revolves around Darius, and that she is married to him. And she plans on keeping it that way. Garen deeply respects their father, and her father loathes Darius with a passion, so she isn't certain how things would fall out if this knowledge came to light. However, she has another more pressing issue at the moment.

Ezreal isn't leaving her alone. After the first week, he came to her asking for her forgiveness, and to give him a second chance. After her flat refusal he became enraged and wouldn't leave her be. It takes more and more effort to stop asking Darius to not kill Ezreal. A part of her would love to see that cocky bastard chopped into tiny pieces by a certain axe wielding Noxian, but she still doesn't want any trouble. I have to find a way to deal with him! How can I convince him I'm not interested, and never will be? Can't he just accept that he can't have everything he desires? I'm not a prize to be won. Today, she has no matches, and she enjoying her time practicing in privacy at home before heading to the Institute for her time with Darius. Just as she prepares to leave, her father grabs her attention. A shiver of fear runs down her spine. Something in his eyes speaks of trouble.

"Yes father?" Lux says politely once she reaches him.

"Luxanna Crownguard, why didn't you tell me you aren't a virgin? You've made my life very difficult." His voice is stern and unyielding. Completely caught off guard, Lux doesn't have time to lie.

"What? How do you know? When?" Lux yelps. Oh shit! He knows about Darius! This is bad. Inside her rib cage her heart starts to beat faster and faster.

"Don't worry dear heart, your choice of men is acceptable. You'll make a fine wife for young Ezreal. He already approached me asking for your hand in marriage. Apparently his sense of morals is hurting because that he deflowered you before getting married. I've already started making preparations." Her father's voice is condescending, but firm.

"WHAT?! NO! I DIDN'T HAVE SEX WITH HIM AND I REFUSE TO MARRY HIM!" Lux screams, face turning read. A deep, broiling rage fills her. Once before she raged this way, the day she lost her child. As the rage fills her head to toe, her calm evaporates leaving nothing but mindless rage.

"Who did you have sex with..." He inquires.

"It doesn't matter who I had sex wi-" Before Lux finishes, she realizes that she has made a terrible mistake. Now her father knows that she isn't a virgin, and it wasn't to the one man he might actually approve of. I don't care anymore! I refuse to let him dictate my life anymore! I am own woman, not a pawn for his amusement. Perhaps it is the irrational rage that prevents her rage from bursting outwards. For years Lux has had to pretend to have strong emotions, she isn't to having to keep them bottled down.

"Luxanna! Who ruined your innocence?!" Juxen demands loudly, his face turning crimson.

"It isn't any of your business!" Lux screams back, her control over what she says shrinking rapidly.

"Luxanna it is my business! If the man who took you is worthy of our family name, you would tell me. Since you refuse, it means that you're being foolish and don't know any better. You will marry Ezreal, that is my final word. No one else will want you in your stained state, you're lucky that such a fine man will marry you." Juxen demands, his face calming down back to an almost normal shade. A part of Lux snaps. For the longest time she lived without the fear of an arranged marriage, and now she's being forced to marry Ezreal?! A red haze clouds her vision, her rage tunneling out any other emotions. No longer caring what her father says, she bursts out the truth unafraid.

"I can't marry anyone! I already eloped with Darius!" She screams at the top of her voice. As her voice stops echoing through the room, she realizes what she said. On no...oh no no no! How could I have lost control like this?! For a short time both of them stand side by side in stunned silence. Once her father snaps out of his shock at her statement, and realizes she isn't lying, a scream of primal rage escapes him. He isn't saying any actual words, just sounds of extreme emotion. Barely in time, Lux raises her wand up to make a shield against the magical blast coming from her father. In his rage, he doesn't bother to hold back. Lux slides backwards, feet digging into the ground trying to not give way under the magic slamming repeatedly into her shields. Several more attacks follow and with each blast Lux slides backwards. Suddenly, he stops attacking and looks at her venom dripping from his voice.

"Do know what that bastard did to your mother?" He snarls, magical energy pulsing dangerous from his hands. Lux knows that her fate is determined by this point and doesn't care about her reply. I'm as good as dead, I might as well say what I want!

"I do know, and she deserved worse!" Lux screams back in defiance. The look on her father's face goes beyond anger, rage, or even hate. It becomes something inhuman. An unexpected blow from her right side knocks her wand out of her grasp, dropping Lux to her knees. As she gasps in pain, struggling to stand back up, to defend herself, anything to prevent the attacks that will follow. Another blow hits her from behind. Silently her father approaches her, picking up her beloved light wand. Horror fills her as he snaps the wand completely in half over his knee. That wand has been a part of her life for a long time, and its destruction drives a blow into her heart. Eyes empty of any emotion but hatred, Juxen walks over to her with one half of her weapon in hand. Lux's vision goes black as he slams the broken wand against her skull.


	9. ABLADD9

Chapter 9 Chapter Text

~Darius PoV~

A deep unease fills Darius. Lux is late, and she is never late unless she has a match that runs long. In fact, almost every time she is early. She has no matches today, so she isn't delayed because of that. Perhaps she became ill? No, that couldn't be it either. Lux is clever enough to find a way to let him know beforehand. However, his instincts are screaming at him that something is very wrong. Instincts that have saved his life many times in battle. Instincts he never ignores. Reluctant to leave his post, Darius waits the entire night for her to appear. As the early morning light peeks into the window his teeth grind together with anger. Something is wrong, Lux is in danger, but he doesn't know what is wrong exactly. He can't help her if he doesn't know where she is. I am going to find out what happened to her. If someone has hurt her, they'll lose their head even if she asks me not to. Finally deciding to leave the room for more information he debates where he could find the best answers.

There are no Demacians he can threaten into telling him without risking giving away their secret. Janna is unavailable for a couple days and if he talks to Ezreal someone will end up dead. Until he knows if she needs to be rescued, he can't risk being detained. Quickly he checks the roster to see if she has any matches for the day. To his dismay, and rising fear, she is in fact scheduled for three matches. However, there is a note stating that due to an unexpected illness she is unable to attend any matches for an unknown amount of time. No...damn it to hell! I am going to kill someone.

Once, Lux mentioned to him about her last undefined 'illness' and the true reason behind it. Another time during a conversation after a last game of chess, she mentioned that if her father ever found out about the two of them, it would end badly for her. Somehow her father found out the truth. Somewhere Lux is being tortured, if not already dead. At first a fear he hasn't felt in long time floods him. Again, Lux is being hurt because of him. If she'd never fallen in love with him, she'd be safe. Alive. Unhurt. Quickly following the fear is a deep rage. A rage that surpasses any he has felt before. Before, he couldn't do anything to help her. Now he has resources, and nothing will stand in his way. And if Noxus has to go war again, he will lead them there. He'd made a vow to never let her go, and the person that made him break his vow is going to die by his hands. Unlike with her mother, however, he'll put aside the time to take out his revenge properly. Agonizing deaths take time, and he is no longer bound to a time schedule out in the field.

First, however, he has to gather information. Darius needs to know if she is still alive, or dead. If she is alive, where is she being kept. And if she isn't alive, how did she die, and where is her body. If he acts unusual then it would give away him knowing the truth. An element of surprise may still be on be on his side. Any advantage he has, he will exploit. Lux's father hopefully will not know anyone else knows the truth.

The moment her father finds out that anyone knows what he has done, it will end badly for her. The Crownguard family is a paragon of Demacian values. Not even her father is exempt from that, and torturing one's children over something like this unacceptable. The only way it could happen if there was a public trial approved through the League of Legends. Darius highly doubts that the League would give up one of their champions for something like them falling love. So, the man has a limited amount of time to take care of his vengeance, and he'll shorten it even quicker if it puts his reputation at risk. Hopefully, Darius has enough time to act. He's never been a man to ask for help from any powers above those of mortals, but for once he makes a quick prayer. Please let there be time to save her.

Instead of allowing himself to be distracted during his matches, Darius funnels his rage into productive killing sprees. The more mindless rage he sheds the better so he can calm and plan. By the end of the day he feels calm enough to actually sit down and make a plan that doesn't involve a complete blood bath. First and foremost he needs information. Yet, somehow things are conspiring against him. The only spies good enough for his needs, that he can trust with this mission, are all out in the field. Far, far out in field. The quickest any of them can reach him is over a week. Darius does not have a week to wait. As the sun starts to set, Darius starts to debating going to war or not. Not the best option, but he is getting desperate. Mind focused on the problem at hand he misses that someone enters his office.

"Looks like you have a problem." A bored sounding voice drawls from nearby. Leaning casually against the edge of his desk is Katarina. There are few people he truly hates with a burning passion, but Katarina is one of them. Her eyes have a strange look to them as she watches him pace.

"Get. Out." Darius snarls, gesturing rudely towards the door.

"Oh, and here I thought you'd want knowledge on Lux. Her brother is sweet on me and I learn the most interesting things...but if you want me gone I'll go."A soft chuckle leaves her lips as she starts to leave.

"Wait!" Darius yells, reaching for her arm. His love for Lux overrides his hatred of Katarina.

"Oh? You actually want to hear what I have to say now?" She purrs while skillfully dodging his arm. Striding back over to his desk, she jumps up and sits down on it.

"Yes I want to know." He growls. One hand runs through his black hair, as he walks over to his desk and rests one hand on it.

"I won't tell you anything until you ask nicely. Now say please." Katarina says with an amused tone of voice. Her eyes are dancing with glee at the shocked look on his face. I can always make her pay later, but now there are important things then my pride.

"Please tell me what you know about Lux, Katarina." Darius says, each word said carefully. His voice is even sounding, but his hands are balling into tight fists.

"Ha! Well, the one thing I learned from her brother is that he knows nothing!" Katarina says with a wild laugh. All it takes is a quick shunpo to take her to safety. Eyes narrowing with unsurpassed hatred, Darius reaches for his axe with the intent to kill.

"Before you attempt to kill me you idiot, I mean it in a serious way. No one knows what is happening to her. Garen might be dense, but he does care for Lux on some sort of brotherly level. He mentioned to me that his father claims she is sick, and staying in her room until she recovers. However, no one has come or gone from room for the past couple of days. No one has brought her food or drink, and apparently her door is locked. Everyone knows that Lux shows up to her matches even while half death. No one has seen her ill enough to not come to a match. And the one person who'd know why...has no clue why she isn't leaving her room. The one time Garen went to check in on her, he got no reply despite his efforts to talk to her. If the rumors are true things went wrong between her and her father. However, no one with the authority to question her father has bothers to do so. I know you care for her, and for what it is worth, I'm sorry." Katarina's voice goes soft, all humor draining out. All she gives him is the briefest nod of her head before leaving. For a few seconds Darius stands still in horror. Once the shock fades he screams with rage and he slams his fist into his desk. Crack! Goes his desk, as his fist crashes through it. I'm too late...No...Gone are the plans of rescue. Replacing them are the consuming thoughts of revenge.

For four days, Darius refuses to speak to anyone. Everyone who crosses his path takes one look at him and heads in the opposite direction. All of the soldiers under his command act perfectly, afraid to draw attention to themselves. No one is brave enough to ask what is wrong, only that having the knowledge that something is. In places where no one thinks he'll find out, people start making bets on how long it takes before Darius kills someone important. Various pools are started based on how bloody the death will be, how long it'll take before the person is allowed to die, and the exact methods of torture. Several people are excited about this upcoming death. It is well known that Darius knows a lot of techniques used to extract information, and isn't afraid to use them. After all, who doesn't love free entertainment?

On the evening of the four day since her disappearance, Darius still hasn't come up with a proper plan. Oh, he knows what he wants to do Juxen Crownguard, but getting a hold of him is more difficult. Ever since the League of Legends formed, randomly capturing and killing enemy nobility has been unacceptable. By now he has replaced his desk three times and each replacement with more durable material. However, with each passing day his rage at being unable to save Lux grows greater. This results in each new desk becoming useless. As the sun finally sets a familiar voice hails him.

"Hey Darius, good to see you bro!" Draven drawls lazily, a crazy grin on his face. Darius ignores his brother's presence.

"Oh? No warm welcome? I thought we're family! I've here to make you an offer...I'll trade you one pair of my performance axes for your wife." Draven says with chuckle. Darius gives him a look that borders on insane rage.

"Draven leave. I don't have time for your jokes." Darius snarls, a growl forming low in his throat.

"What? You don't like my offer? I'm being really generous here...I'll even autograph them for you!" Draven says cheekily dancing skillfully backwards dodging Darius's best attempt to deck him.

"Draven..." He growls, voice even more menacing.

"No, no, no! You're saying my name wrong. It isn't Draven, it's Draaaaavveeenn..." Draven says with another amused chuckle. Darius seriously wonders if maiming his brother will cost him his job. Again he attempts to slam his fist into his brothers smirking face, but he misses. Surely I'll be forgiven if I just cut out his tongue?

"Okay, okay. I get your point. You don't want to bask in my glorious presence. Your loss bro. Either which way, even though you rejected my amazing offer for your wife...Draven's going to return this to you. Talk to you later!" Draven drawls rather happily, obviously enjoying his rage. Darius catches a small leather bound book that his brother tosses his way. He face palms at his brother's antics then he takes a look at the book his brother tossed at him. A jolt of surprise races through him. The book resting in his hands is the book he lent to Lux the last time he saw her. The only way Draven could have gotten a hold of this was...I'm going to find out how in hell he got this. Then I'm going to murder him for being a bastard. Then I'm going to have our best necromancers bring him back to life so I can thank him if this means what I think it does. Quickly grabbing his axe on his way out of his office door, Darius looks around for a sign of his brother. A quick glance to the far right shows him that Draven is headed towards the right hall exit.

"Draven you bastard! Get back here and explain!" Darius yells. His brother just shrugs his shoulders and continues to walk away. Growling darkly under his breath, Darius runs and catches up with Draven.

"Draven where did you get this book?!" Darius inquires darkly, still pissed to high hell at his brother's antics. A part of him desperately wants to believe that Lux is okay, that she managed to escape. However, another part of him is equally afraid that this is all a sick joke on his brother's part.

"Oh, now you want to bask in my glorious presence! I don't know if I want to hang out with someone who doesn't appreciate Draven's truly glorious aura..." Draven boasts while still managing to dodge his best attempts to grab and strangle him.

"Draven I'm going to kill you..." Darius grinds out, patience gone. This is a sick joke on his part, and I'm going to kill slowly him for it...!

"But if you kill me, I can't tell you where Lux is! After all she came to me begging for my help, and of course I had to help out my number one fan...and for my efforts I got a kiss! Oh her skin feels like heaven, you sure you don't want one of my pairs of axes for her? I'll trade you my favorite ones...I just got them buffed!" Draven says with a manic laugh. Darius sees red. Faster than both of them think possible, Darius grabs his brother by the throat and slams him against the wall. Despite the fact that he being strangled, all Draven does is smirk at him.

"Where. Is. She!" He barks out, patience gone.

"You're lucky the Draven cares for his brother. She's currently sleeping soundly in your bed.. She is so adorable when she sleeps...I'll offer you my best pair of performance axes, my pair that I use for executing famous people." Draven cackles, even as Darius releases his hold.

"If you're lying to me..." Darius threatens. This is a sick joke on his part. I'm going to kill him slowly. But first I need to prove him wrong before I can drag him off to rot for a couple weeks in a dungeon.

"You doubt the word of Draven...? Bro, you hurt me." His brother says with a wounded tone of voice. Fuming in silence, Darius marches home, his axe swinging menacingly from side to side. With each swing he envisions cutting off one of his brother's fingers.

When he was purchasing a home, he was practical and bought one close to his office. It doesn't take long for him to arrive, and even less time for him to storm into his room ready to scream at Draven. Once he opens the door and starts to point at his bed, he sees the small form of Lux curled up in his bed sound asleep. The hell?! Maybe I won't kill him after all.

"Told you she is adorable while she sleeps... you sure you don't want..." before Draven can finish Darius shoves him roughly out away from the door and down the hallway.

"Go away!" Darius grumbles but without any heat to his words. Now that he sees Lux safe, and sound asleep in his bed his brother is forgiven, probably forgiven for life. Looks like I owe him big time. I'll show him my gratitude by not cutting out his tongue when he talks to me for the rest of my life.

Quietly closing the door behind him, Darius walks silently over to his bed. Carefully he sits down on the edge of the bed and looks Lux over, making sure she's really here. It is obvious that she has lost a lot of weight, and hasn't gotten much sleep. One hand tenderly brushes aside a lock of golden hair that has fallen over her face. As his fingers move across her face, he frowns at a wound on her head. An unusually shaped wound is just above her temple. Something sharp hit her head narrowly missing her temple. If that weapon had just been a fraction lower...Darius shakes head refusing to think those thoughts right now.

All that matters now is that she is safe, and home with him. It has been a long few days and sleeping next to his wife will do wonders for his stress levels. Quietly as possible, Darius strips down to nothing before crawling into bed. Lux only mumbles softly as the bed shakes slightly as he moves towards her. Once he gets close enough he realizes that she is naked as well. Parts of him harden, reminding him that he wants their first time together since their wedding night to be special. At the rate his libido is going, that'll be a problem. A wide grin crosses his face as Darius realizes he gets to see Lux naked with enough light to enjoy her body. He's always wondered how far down her blush goes, and now he has the perfect opportunity to find out. One arm reaches out and gently pulls her against him. To his delight, once he pulls her close she murmurs his name softly before cuddling against him, still fast asleep. Giving her a small kiss on the neck, Darius manages to drift off to a peaceful sleep for the first time in days.

~Lux PoV Earlier that week~

Sharp stabbing pain lances through Lux's head, focusing on spot near her temple. There is nothing around her but complete, bone chilling darkness. Rough uneven stone floor lies beneath her. Where am I...? Nothing about the place seems familiar to anything she's ever encountered in Demacia. Uncertain if her father is nearby, Lux holds as still as possible waiting to see if anyone approaches her. Nothing stirs around her. Her prison is completely silent, and completely dark. After determining that no one is coming for her right away, Lux struggles to sit up.

Around her the world spins making her nauseous. Every movement she makes causes her world to spin dangerously. Refusing to let this stop her, Lux forces herself to sit up, then stand. Uneven, cold stone walls are close together. By her best guess, the width of the hallway she is in less than four feet wide. Carefully, she reaches upwards to find the ceiling to be rather low. Am I in a tunnel? It seems too perfectly shaped to just be a cave, and but not finished enough to be in any building I know of. I'm probably in a mine. Roughly thirty miles outside of Demacia are some gemstone mines. All of them abandoned by now. How nice of you father! You dump my body in a mine shaft, leaving me to die. As she holds up one finger in front of her unable to see it, Lux wishes she has light. To her complete delight, a soft mage light appears above her finger. He didn't block my magic! I can use magic in here! I love it when a plan comes together! For years now Lux has acted like a defenseless a cripple without her knowledge of magic. Everyone knows she is still a mage, but a broken one. Only a very, very small amount of people know the truth that she can still use magic, and remember her metal library of spells. It took a lot of careful manipulation to convince her family, and friends, that she can only use magic with her light wand. And with her light wand, only the spells she uses on the Fields of Justice. Without her wand, she is magicless and no good for anything. Before taking another step Lux plans her way out. Any wrong move and she will end up dead. Several moments pass as she rotates through the spells she knows.

There is one small truth about her being magicless without her light wand. Without the correct materials to channel, convert, and control her magic there isn't a lot she had do offensively. Sure, she can duplicate attack spells she's stolen from Noxus. One of the secrets of Demacia, however, is her inability to be lethal. No matter how hard she has tried in the past, she can't bring her magic powerful enough to kill unless it is in self defense. Her body just refuses to use enough magical force to kill at will. As powerful as her magic can be, she isn't deadly. Oh, she isn't helpless! However, actively attacking someone to kill is a different matter. Perhaps the only reason why she can kill people on the Fields of Justice is because they don't stay dead. Lux always thought it was curious why no one ever questioned by she never went into the field for battle. No matter! A plan came together, now it is time to act.

Lifeis a chess game, and she's in this to win! Still the checkmate isn't in sight yet. I'll live through this...and find Darius. If my father thinks that Demacia won't miss me, then my responsibilities to Demacia aren't as important as I think. A surge of relief floods her. Now her future became a lot simpler. However, if she wants that future she needs to get out of this pit alive. How long have I been out? Hopefully not that long. Darius is probably worried sick. I should get back to him before he does something stupid. A silly grin crosses her face at the thought of him being that in love with her, but a frown quickly replaces it. Lux doesn't want Darius to do something rash enough that'll get him killed. As Lux holds the small light in front of her, all she can see is endless tunnel. None of the spells she can actively think of will get her out alive and unnoticed. Oh sure, she knows a few flashy spells that might do the job, but anyone with a sharp set of eyeballs will notice her work. That set of eyeballs primarily being Quinn and Valor. At this point, she isn't certain all the people she can trust. Shauna, Xin, Darius, Draven, Sona, and Ahri are for sure on her list. First things first! Get out of here. Second rather belongings, I can't leave the book Darius lent me in Demacia. Three, get the hell out of Demacia and to safety. Four, find a way to reunite with Darius without anyone trying to stop me. Slowly, Lux kneels and rests both of her palms against the tunnel, while resting the mage light slightly above her right ear.

Methodically Lux moves her hands up and down the floor trying to determine which direction is uphill, and which direction is downhill. It takes some time, but she figures it out. That way is up, and the exit is where the tunnel exits the hill of the mountain. The tip of her right index finger glows blue, and she trails her finger against the wall leaving behind a glowing line. If she gets turned around, Lux wants to be able to know where she's already been. Without a watch, or any sunlight to determine the time of day, Lux doesn't know how long she wanders through the mine. Gradually, the walls of the tunnel become more finished, and wider. Good! I'm reaching an exit. Finally Lux spots dim moonlight flowing into the mine. With a small burst of energy, Lux exits the mine and out into the night air. After enjoying being free of confining walls, Lux studies her surroundings. If her mental map is correct, Demacia is about thirty miles south of here. Quickly studying the moon phase Lux realizes that she has been missing for two days.

Poor Darius! I hope I can get to him soon. As the sound of animals moving in the night keep her company, Lux hears the faintest sound of running water. Slowly, but steadily, Lux makes her over to a small stream. One quick spell lets her know that the water is safe to drink. As the cold, fresh water slides down her parched throat Lux sighs with relief. Once her thirst is satisfied, she starts to get clean. Clear, cold spring water washes away the piles of dirt coating her skin and hair. Hot summer air quickly evaporates the cold spring water leaving her feeling refreshed. Ah, yes! I love being clean again!

It takes some time to wash all of the dried blood off of herself. Slowly she traces one finger along the open wound on her skull, fingering glowing blue. Unless she wants a rather interesting scar, all she can do is get it clean. A quick, complete healing will leave a scar. Lux doesn't want any scars to mar her face. Vain of me I know, but I'd rather not leave any scars unless I have to. A soft sight escapes her as Lux studies the condition of her clothing. It is in rather sorry shape. Lucky for her, however, she knows some handy spells that will get it presentable! Longer then she would have liked, Lux thoroughly cleans and repairs her clothing. Taking it a step further, Lux carefully alters her clothing into something more suited to getting and out of places unseen. Stomach cramping from hunger, Lux mentally studies her condition. I could use several good meals, a couple days of solid sleep, and I should be good as new! This place isn't safe, so I should get going.

Tinges of reds, pinks, and oranges greet her cheerfully as she walks down a road. About a mile in front of her is Demacia. The towers she was raised in are glowing magnification shades of sunrise. Carefully putting on an illusion that has her look like brown haired, brown eyed, short chubby household maid Lux feels confident in not being discovered. No one looks twice at her as she walks through the hubbub of a busy morning in the city. As she approaches the Crownguard Estates, she steps to the side, out of sight. Quickly changing the colors of her humble clothing to the Crownguard colors, she walks in head high as if she is a servant.

There are several hundreds of servants in her old Estate. As long as Lux looks and acts, like she knows where she is going no one bothers her. No one is guarding the door to her room, but it does appear to be locked. It doesn't take much for her to pick the lock and go inside. Unlike so many years ago, Lux packs quickly. This time she is allowed to bring of her favorite childhood treasures because it doesn't matter if she is traced to Noxus. That is where her new life will be, and it will be public knowledge. Tenderly tucking General Clopsdale into a small satchel, Lux looks around for anything else she may be missing. The last object she packs is the simple book Darius lent her. As she leaves her room for the last time, Lux doesn't bother to look back. Once again out in the public hallway, Lux goes invisible once she confirms no one is in sight. As quietly as she can, she runs through the less used passages of the Crownguard Estate. Only taking a brief moment to steal some muffins off a plate, Lux runs into the city and towards freedom.

Lux's first destination is a teleport pad that'll take her to the Institute of War. That is the best place she has of finding Darius. To her complete dismay, Darius has excused himself for all future matches until some 'personal' business has been taken care of. He is nowhere near the Institute, and won't be returning for some time. As tempting as it would be to just sneak into Noxus and meet up with him, that won't work. Darius is an important General in Noxus, she just can't pop out of nowhere and say, 'Hey we're married!' without there being some serious political backlash. I can't do this alone, I need help. And Darius isn't here...For the time being, she is just hiding out here as one of the many fans of the League. A familiar egotistical laugh is heard, letting her know that Draven is nearby and enjoying himself. I'm just here as a fan and...and...and that is it! Ducking into of the unused hallways, Lux changes her disguise. Instead of being brown haired, hair eyed, and chubby now she looks like herself only with black hair.

Walking as if she is an excited fangirl being inside the Institute of War for the first time, Lux approaches Draven. He is enjoying the beautiful company of three different women, all of them standing around him adoringly. Draven, sometimes I love you! And please say Darius never finds out I did this...letting out an excited squeal Lux runs up to Draven and hugs him tightly nearly knocking him off his feet. Apparently not expecting this, he lets out a faint oof in surprise. Dark eyes look down at her, with a look of delight that screams, 'I'm getting laid!', that suddenly changes looks all together as he recognizes her.

"Draaavveeen! I'm your biggest fan and I'm begging you, I need your help...please?" Lux gushes out, making her blue eyes seem as large as possible, still hugging him close. After a few seconds of staring at her in surprise, Draven suddenly lets out a loud laugh. Swiftly he scoops her up in his arms and holds her close preparing to walk away.

"Sorry ladies, but Draven must now rescue his biggest fan. I'll be back for you later though..." Draven says with a seductive wink at the other women. All of whom are giving Lux looks that could kill. Purposefully striding towards the teleport room but he turns around quickly giving the other women a mischievous look.

"Draven, can we please go somewhere private where we can talk?" Lux whispers into his ear. Blushing red from head to toe, Lux doesn't bother to hide her embarrassment. If she remembers correctly, Draven carries adoring fans to his place all the time. Several of whom blush.

"Hahaha! Of course I will! Anything for you..." Draven says with a loud laugh. Lux keeps her head buried against his chest, too afraid to look at anyone in case they might recognize her. Please, please, please say no one recognizes me. It seems like forever, but eventually the two of reach the room that'll transport the two of them to Noxus.

"Oho! Looks like you've scored again Draven. Should I get ready to send the two of you directly to your flat?" A young summoner inquires a smug look on his.

"Of course I scored again. Draven always scores. Now make it snappy, I have some very important business..." Draven boasts, gently bouncing her up and down in his arms with a pleased chuckle. Lux's entire body feels like it is burning with embarrassment. This is all part of the plan, this is all part of the plan...With a sudden flash of light, Lux finds herself out of the Institute of War, and into Noxus. As Draven sets her down on her feet, Lux sways from side to side dizzy.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't faint on me. Darius will have my hide if something happens to you. And I'm too handsome to lose my hide." Draven says quickly. Lux smiles at him as he carefully takes hold of her and walks them towards his kitchen.

"Sorry Draven, it's been a while since I've had a good meal...I don't suppose..."Lux asks hopefully with a weak smile.

"Of course I'll give you a good meal. No, I'll give you a great meal! Only the best for me and my biggest fan. Now, let Draven do his best like always." With surprising gentleness Draven slides out a chair for her, and makes sure she is sitting down before rummaging through his kitchen. His entire flat is decorated in rich hues of red, brown, and gold. If the surface could be gilded in gold, velvet, or some sort of expensive polished stone it is. Several large pieces of art are display, all of them of Draven in some sort of victory pose. Lux loses count of the all the mirrors in his place. Head dizzy from exhaustion, dehydration, and hunger she loses track of time. Sometime later, Draven presents her with some fancy sandwiches, juice, and some sort of soup.

"You know how to cook?!" Lux exclaims in surprise.

"Of course I know how to cook. Draven knows everything, his skills are vast." Draven boasts, puffing out his chest and making a pose. To her surprise, and delight, the food is delicious. It doesn't take her long to finish the entire meal. The entire time, Draven is watching her with a thoughtful look on his face.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions...and I'll answer them all. But first I need to know some things...is Darius okay? Where is he?" Lux inquires quickly. Draven looks to be disinterested in his surroundings, but his eyes have a sharp attentive look to them.

"Darius is currently working himself to death in his office. He needs some rest, but I'm sure some loving activities with a beautiful woman will help him relax..." Draven says with a smirk wagging his eyebrows at her. Lux blushes hot before continuing.

"Let me tell you a story...and please don't interrupt." Lux says quietly. For the second time in her life, Lux explains what happened eight years ago. Unlike the time she told Darius, this story has some additional information to it. By the time she finishes, Draven has a surprisingly serious look in eyes.

"So, I need your help with getting established here as his wife, without risking his career and reputation. You know Noxian politics better than I do..." Lux says thoughtfully, giving her brother-in-law a serious look.

"I'll gladly help my number one fan. As to how to get you established...that is tricky. No worries though! Draven is the smartest man alive, I'll figure something out. We'll need to get the approval for the marriage. Darius is strong, and can't be shown to have any weaknesses. You're a big one I'm afraid, so we can't let Noxus know that you married out of love. Probably some sort conquest? Yeah! That is my brilliance showing! Darius will have made a great sexual conquest against Demacia, bringing you back with him as proof of his victory. Darius is popular, and one of the most powerful men the Noxus High Command. Proving his control over such a powerful Demacian mage will help cement in his power. One problem though is the proof of your marriage. You're already married in Noxus so we'll need to change the official date on the marriage license. That'll be a problem as the one person who can do that isn't bribable. Hmmm..." Draven says thoughtfully.

"Not everyone can be bribed, but everyone has something they desire. You just exploit what they desire the most." Lux says calmly, remembering some of the ways she earned undying loyalty in Demacia.

"Oho! Are you sure weren't secretly born a Noxian? I mean, tormenting people with what they want the most is a great way to get..." Draven says with a surprised tone of voice.

"No. Not like that Draven. When you find out what a person desires the most you give it them in the way they desire the most...you don't force your power over them, you earn it forever. If you blackmail someone with they want, they won't help you if something goes wrong. If you give them what they want most, they'll want to help you, to give their life for you. You'll have earned an ally for life. Besides, blackmail isn't just." Lux says simply as if she is instructing a young child on the basic facts of life. By the time she was done explaining this, Draven gave her a look she's never seen before. He is giving her a look of respect.

"If Draven respects anyone as his equal, he'd respect you. You're a clever one, and no one expects it just like my glorious self. I'm glad you're my number one fan! But, unfortunately, Draven is without equal so you'll just have to be content with second place." Draven says with a laugh, wiggling his eyebrows at her. Lux gives a him a small giggle at his behavior.

"Would you please let me use your shower? I haven't had a proper bath in days." Lux inquires hopefully.

"Follow me number one fan! Draven's bathing room is always stocked with the finest towels, shampoos, soaps, and the such. Use whatever you want. Of course, if you ever need help washing your back, I am at all your beck and all." Draven boasts, giving her one of his famous grins along with a wink.

"No thank you Draven, I'll be fine on my own." Lux says with a straight face. He's hopeless! As he escorts her down a hallway, Lux takes time to look over the various photographs. Every picture has him somewhere in it, but there are plenty of photos with other people in them. Near the end of the hall, Lux pauses to look at one small photograph. It almost appears to be hidden, tucked away from the rest. To her surprise, it is a photograph of Draven and Darius. By the looks of it, Draven has just joined the Noxian military for the first time. Unlike most of the other grins he gives, the grin he has in this photo is one of genuine joy. Darius is standing next to him looking stern. However, Lux recognizes the faint look of happiness in his eyes. Without realizing it, Lux pauses in the hallway, finger tracing over the photo.

"You really do love him don't you? I've seen the two of constantly bickering...but it is all an act isn't it?" Lux says softly, a tender tone in her voice. Turning around to look Draven in the eyes all she sees is his usual cockiness. However, he shrugs his shoulders before nudging her away from the photo and towards the bathing room.

"Draven is a complex man, full of mystery. My relationship with my brother is my own. No need to worry your pretty little head over it! Now this door is the bathroom. I'll be waiting in the kitchen for when you're done. Unless you've changed your mind and want my help washing your back..." Draven says with a chuckle. All Lux does is roll her eyes at him.

"Draven, while I bathe will you please gather you the information you have on the man we need to 'bribe'? I'll want to study it when I'm done." Lux tells him before closing the bathroom door.

"Anything for my number one fan!" He yells at her cheerfully before heading back down the hallway.

Lux only allows herself an hour to bath. As much as she would love to spend the rest of the day soaking in hot water to soothe away her aches, she can't. Important business has to be taken care of. The sooner she finishes establishing her future with Darius, the happier she'll be. After some looking, Lux finds a set of scented soap, conditioner, and shampoo that she isn't afraid to tweak the scent of. Draven's choices in bathing supplies are very rich indeed, but she isn't about the spend the rest of her day smelling like him. Feeling much more refreshed, Lux steps out of the bath and tweaks her clothing until clean.

"Draven, what information do you have for me?" Lux calls out as she walks back towards the kitchen. Briefly she pauses to look at the photograph of Darius and Draven before continuing on her way.

Upon entering the kitchen, Draven hands her a folder with a smug look on his face. After choosing a chair to sit on, Lux starts to read through the guys 'file'. There isn't much to him. Decorated military career, polished reputation, and a long list of accomplishments make up most of it. There is a brief section on his health, the status of his job, and his family life. It isn't until she reaches the end of the file that Lux finds her weakness. The guy she wants to exploit, one Barthomue Kingles, has several nieces and nephews but no children of his own. There is one nephew in his direction care, the only son of his youngest sister. That young nephew was injured when he was very young and the wound never healed properly. The file doesn't list a lot of information about the injury, only that it is painful and not easily healed. Briefly Lux wonders what kind of injury would be too difficult to find a healer for man with such influence and power. An injury Lux can heal, and will heal for the sake of her future with Darius.

Over the course of her duties as a spell thief Lux learned something very useful about her magic, and something dangerous. Something she has never told anyone. Once she stole a very simple spell that allows the caster to pour more magic into a spell then the original spell parameters allow. This is extremely dangerous because if not carefully managed, it is easy to pour all of one's magic into the spell and die. It is that spell that allows her to adjust, or tweak, any of the simple spells she knows into the amazing effects she achieves today. Between that spell, and the sure amount of raw power she has, Lux has always been able manipulate any spell into the results she wants. Lux is reasonably certain that she can heal just about anything. The problem being is that some of things she can heal will kill her in the process. Nothing about the injury screams that process will kill her. Healing something difficult is possible for her, healing something impossible is also possible but will mostly kill her in the process. Even though the healing won't kill her, it will exhaust her. I'll probably spend a couple days sleeping it off. Enough dilly dallying! Time to get to work.

"Draven, will you please show me the way to Barthomue's residence? I believe we owe him a visit." Lux says calmly. Double checking to make sure that her disguise is still in place she walks over to the door waiting from Draven.

"Oho! So you did find something he desires? Something important enough to risk his reputation for?" Draven says with a chuckle.

"Of course I did. Ye of little faith. Now you sure Darius will be working himself to death in his office? My plan will take a big huge hit if he spots me now." Lux inquires as the two of them leave his flat.

"Me of little faith? Ye of little faith! Draven knows his brother will be locked away in his office planning revenge against those killed you. Now come. Time to get this done and over with. Draven has some sexy fans waiting for him back at the Institute. I can't let you take up all my time." Draven says. As he escorts her to their destination Lux takes note of the condition of Noxus. Not much has changed. No one seems to look twice at her, all of the citizens attention focuses on Draven. It doesn't take long for them to arrive. Draven sweet talks his way into having a private audience with the Lead Legislate.

"What business does Draven have with me, hm?" Barthomue says with an annoyed tone of voice. Obviously they have interrupted him from some sort of personal business.

"Oh! Draven has no business with you, I'm just here to escort her to collect some records." Draven says with an aloof tone of voice, waving vaguely in her direction. Barthomue's full intense gaze bores in to her.

"I need you to bring me the marriage license of General Darius, and it need some adjustments." Lux says simply. Ignoring Barthomue's insulting looks Lux continues.

"In gratitude of your efforts, I will heal your nephew. I can ensure that he can walk again with pain. With enough effort on his part, he'll have no restrictions on his movements." Lux keeps her voice even, but she leans forward and gazes just as intensely back at him.

"You can do something I want, and I can do something you want. No one else needs to know. As a thanks for your discretion in the future I provide materials that will help speed up your nephew's full recovery." With that said, Lux gives him her best nonchalant shrug before leaning back and waiting for his response. As she keeps her face neutral she watches the emotions dance through his eyes. Several go through them before they settle on thoughtful, yet doubtful.

"If! If you can prove you words, I can do whatever you need to this marriage license." Barthomue's says softly.

"When you fail, I will have you killed for treason. Now follow me." He says curtly. As they follow the Lead Legislate from his private office, no words are said. After about a minute of traversing through long, twisting hallways, they arrive in front of a door. Inside the door is a little boy sound asleep a wheelchair. Silently Lux walks over to the boy. Both Draven, and Barthomue, are watching her intently.

Once she reaches the wheelchair Lux kneels down onto one knee. Gently she places one finger on the boys forehead. As her finger glows white, Lux closes her eyes and views the boy's injury from a mage's perspective. In three different places, there are torn muscles and frayed tendons, just above a bone that had been broken but not healed together correctly. Ah! This is why no one has healed him before! It is possible to heal this but one would need a healer who can heal several issues at once. Not the easiest of healings, nor the cheapest. But I want something bad enough to heal this! About fifteen minutes later, her finger stops glowing. Exhausted from using a lot of magic at once with a lot of finesse Lux practically falls over. Slowly getting back on her feet, Lux nudges the young boy awake. Both Draven and Barthomue look to the boy expectant.

"Uncle! You brought Draven here to see me?! You're the best!" The young yelps with excitement completely ignoring Lux.

"How do you feel?" Lux interrupts. Suddenly noticing Lux he jumps startled. Once he realizes he just jumped startled his eyes grow impossibly wide.

"I-I-I don't hurt! I moved my legs! How?!" He explains with glee, with another bounce in his wheelchair.

"I healed you of course. Your uncle paid me to do so, and his offer is very generous. He must like you a lot. Now if I help you walk over to Draven, I'm sure he'll give you his autograph." Lux says pleasantly as if healing such an injury is a common event.

Mentally preparing herself to not fall over, Lux holds out her hand to the young boy. Hesitantly he reaches out and grabs a hold of her hand. Keeping herself steady, she walks the boy over to Draven. At first he is very unsteady. By the time he reaches Draven, however, he barely needs her help. Unsurprisingly, Draven is prepared to give his autograph. Somewhere tucked away in a pocket are the required materials to give away autographs. With dramatic flair, Draven gives the young boy his autograph.

"Your uncle also managed to get the two of you front row seats to Draven's next performance. He decided to give you your Snowdown gift early this year. You'll be very tired after the healing, and your walk. I suggest you go take a nap. Your uncle has some medicine that will help you recover quickly." Lux says with smile. As the boy hugs his uncle fiercely before walking slowly but surely, over to his wheelchair Lux makes eye contact with Draven, then Barthomue. Both of them nod their heads at her, before the three of the leave the room.

"Follow me. Your payment shall discussed in private." Barthomue says with a grave tone of voice. He leads them in a different direction then the way they came. The room he takes them in is a small private study. Floor to ceiling filing cabinets cover three of the four walls. The fourth wall houses a small fireplace. A thick desk made out of sort of black wood stands solemn in the rear of the room. A couple wooden chairs grace the front of the desk. Lux sits down on one of them, while Draven just leans casually against the doorframe.

"Do you need to me, um, fabricate said license? It'll take time but I'm sure I can..." Before he can finish Lux holds up her right hand.

"No. It already exists. Pull up the records from eight years ago, in the central province. You'll find that it is signed by blood, not by name." Lux tells him calmly. All he does is raise one eyebrow at her before standing up and walking over to the far right corner. After some rummaging through the files he pulls out a familiar piece of paper. His eyebrows continue to raise slightly before returning to her.

"I see. Very interesting. And how did you know of this?" Barthomue inquires.

"I'm his wife. Here, I can prove it." Lux says simply. Reaching out with one hand, she taps her index finger on the marriage certificate causing it to glow green. Barthomue again raises his eyes very high at her before waiting for further instructions.

"I know how these things work. What information would like replaced?" He says curtly.

"I want you to put on it that he is married to Luxanna Crownguard at the Institute of War on this date. Where would you like nephew's medicine dropped off?" Lux tells him with a smile.

"Interesting. Very, very interesting. It shall be done. I would like the medicine dropped off at the servants entrance. I will inform on my maids to be on the lookout for it. Is there anything else I can help you with?" He says with a resigned sigh.

"Yes, in fact there is. Darius will be making the wedding announcement during Draven's next big performance. I would love to see you and your nephew there, in the front row of course." Lux says smoothly with a friendly grin.

"Since I whole heartedly approve of this marriage, and Draven will be letting his approval known at this event your nephew is welcome to join me for a celebratory luncheon afterwards. I'll treat him to where ever he wants to go. And have pictures taken with yours truly." Draven says with a friendly drawl with a knowing keen glint in his eyes.

"As much as I loathe Demacians and their pathetic weak hearted goody goody lifestyle, you are an exception Mrs. Darius. It is a pleasure working with you. And should ever need my help in the future all you need to do is ask. Now if you excuse me, I have work I need to attend to and I am on a deadline. I will have one of my stewards escort you out." Barthomue says with a toothy grin. Knowing blue eyes look into knowing green eyes and a silent acknowledgement of respect takes place between the two of them. Reaching out with one hand, Barthomue tugs on a small silk cord. Mere moments later a young man dressed in formal attire appears at the door. Shortly after leaving the Lead Legislates residence, Lux yawns loudly.

"Draven you would kindly take me to Darius's place? I need sleep. Don't let him come home until it would seem reasonable. He mustn't act out of character. This needs to be done perfectly. One misstep and the whole plan could be ruined. Also, take this. Give it to Darius to help him go home without murdering you." Lux says with another loud yawn before handing Draven the simple book Darius lent her.

"Draven will gladly escort his number one fan home." Draven says with a dramatic tone of voice before offering her his arm. Lux barely remembers the walk to Darius's to place. All it takes is a few select words to one key individual of Darius's staff to allow her discreet entrance. As Lux enters his home, she notices some alarming things. Throughout the house are hidden listening spells. These won't do! Not at all. Mustering up some her remaining magical energy, Lux puts a mute spell over the listening spells. Not the most eloquent way to handle them, but I put something better in place later. One of Darius's female staff helps her undress and climb into bed. Pleasant thoughts of Darius drift through her head as she falls asleep.


	10. ABLADD10

Chapter 10 Chapter Text

Gradually Lux wakes from her slumber. As her mind processes her surroundings she notices something very different about her usual mornings. For one thing, she isn't in her own bed. Second she isn't alone in bed. Once that thought dawns on her she transitions straight from groggy to awake and alert. Third, she is in bed naked with a very naked Darius holding her close. Oh...my...! Lux feels her body blush hot with embarrassment and desire as she processes that last thought. As she shifts a bit she feels Darius lightly kiss her forehead, before he peeks under the covers.

"Your blush goes all the way down to your...?" Darius says with amusement and delight. Lux just blushes even harder and squirms a bit more. As she shifts her body around a bit, she notices Darius's very erect penis. All coherent thoughts leave her. I...I...I..Oh my! Still processing her vastly different, and vastly pleasing position, Lux starts to breath heavier with desire. Her entire body starts to ache with want for his touch, and the feeling of Darius muscular body close against hers feels amazing. Darius shifts his body slightly to the side freeing one of his hands, and it starts to wander down her body. Briefly one of his thumbs brushes against her breast teasing her nipple. A gasp of bliss escapes her lips, quickly following with a moan as he starts to kiss her neck. Instinctively one of her hands reaches out and grips his shoulder tightly, and she leans closer against him.

As his hand travels south his fingers take a moment to circle her navel before reaching their destination. Lux's mind bursts into pure mindless bliss as his fingers start to stroke her pussy. Slowly he rubs his fingers back and forth, lightly stroking her. A loader moan escapes her lips as she bucks her hips against his hand. Gently he pushes one of his fingers into her slowly easing into her giving her time to adjust and enjoy. Once his finger is all the way in, Darius starts to move his finger in and out while using his thumb to keep pressure near her clit. Lux moans out his name before deciding to act. As her mind clears of mindless bliss into more awareness, Lux leans closer to him drawing him into a kiss. A part of her feels a deep pleasure as he moans out her name. Soon their tongues are exploring each other's mouths. As their mouths part, Lux starts to kiss and lick his face enjoying his moans of delight at her touch. Her free arm slides up and down his back learning his every muscle and scar. However, his efforts on her pussy are starting to get the desired effect. Lux's fingers dig into his back as she starts to reach a climax. Waves of pleasure pulse through her as she climaxes.

"Darius...!" Lux moans out as her body arches against his in pleasure. As her climax starts to fade she snuggles closer to him. Once she gets close enough she is reminded of his ache which is pressing into her thigh.

"Oh! Um...what about you...are we going...?" Lux inquires. Unintentionally her body rubs against his erection causing him to moan.

"No...not now. I want that stage to be special. Our first time took place in a dirty storage room on a poor excuse for a bed. You deserve better. Give me a chance to make one time really special." Darius whispers softly into her ear before nuzzling against her neck. She can tell he is exercising extreme self control at how close she is to him and not to taking their proximity to the next level. As much as she wants to cuddle next to him bed for hours the plan must continue to go according to her desires.

"Darius I have a plan. For it to succeed you need to go into work and act like I'm not here, and nothing has changed. The fewer people who know I'm here the better. Trust me." Lux whispers against his chest. A mental sigh of relief escapes as he takes a deep breath before wordlessly agreeing with her.

"It must be some plan, but I trust you. If I'm going to go back to work I need to leave shortly. If I don't head out soon I'm going to be late. But first I need to take a quick shower." Darius says with a sigh before shifting towards the edge of the bed. A quick thought crosses through Lux, causing her to blush. However, he fulfilled her ache she should return the favor. Even if she's never done this before.

"Darius...wait...um, I've read about this in books...I've never tried it before...but...um...here..." Lux says before reaching over stopping him from getting out of bed. This time of her hands wanders south before gently taking hold of his erection. With a firm grasp on him she moves her hand up and down once before shifting her body downwards. All Darius does is let out a surprised noise of pleasure. Here goes nothing...I hope I do this right! Despite being slightly intimidated by his large cock, she slowly takes him into her mouth.

As her tongue flicks quick circles around his head Lux moves her hand up and down the part of his shaft that she doesn't take into her mouth. As she takes more of his cock into her mouth she rubs her tongue firmly against him with slow movements. Her hand puts more pressure on his shaft as she slowly pumps her hand up and down faster. Darius starts to moan her name and his hands tangle themselves into her hair. Feelings of pleasure feel her in a unique way as she makes him moan with desire. Time to switch things up! Suddenly Lux stops rubbing her tongue against him and starts to move her mouth up and down his cock.

With each bob of her head she has her hand to squeeze firmly against the part of him she doesn't take in, moving in sync with her head. Steadily his groans grow louder and closer together. His fingers are still tangle in her hair, holding her head close to him. Lux notices that Darius is growing harder, so she starts to bob her head faster and faster, and starts to add more pressure with her tongue as she slides up and down on his cock. Suddenly he thrusts his hips against her face and his hands hold her head in place. As his dick pulses pumping his seed into her mouth Lux instinctively starts to swallow. Success! As his hand releases her head she removes her mouth from his cock. What an interesting flavor! Lux thinks briefly. Darius lets out an amused chuckle before tilting her head up to look him in the eyes.

"You did not mention that you enjoyed reading those kind of books when I asked you before..." Darius says with a husky tone of voice. Lux just blushes hot and looks away.

"I-I-I...um...err...you should go into work! I have details I need to work out in the plan." Lux says quickly trying to hide her embarrassment. As much as his pleasure filled groans made her happy inside, the mere fact of what she just did causes her to blush hot. I can't believe I just did that! As she rolls away from Darius so he can get out of bed, she has a hard time looking him in the eyes.

"I am married to an amazing woman. I look forward to seeing you after work. I'll have my head steward bring you meals. He's trustworthy. See you later." With that said Darius gets out of bed and heads towards his closet. Lux buries herself under the blankets still unable to look at him. Once she hears him leave the room, Lux pops her head out from under the blankets. The bed smells like sex, and Lux just continues to blush. Enough with the embarrassment! Time to finish working out the plan. For the second time in her life Lux dresses with parts of her deliciously sore. Unlike before, she doesn't plan on leaving. Taking stock of his room, Lux notices a door that probably leads to an office or a study. Sure enough, it does and Lux sits down at his desk. Idly her fingers taps against the desk thinking about her next move. It'll help if I look at this visually.

A quick flick of her wrists creates a large glowing chess board floating above Darius's desk. Carefully Lux taps single squares on the board, and with each placement of her fingers a chess piece appears. The chess pieces are the likeness of the League Champions. The Pawns are champions who don't directly interfere with what she is doing. The Kings, Queens, Knights, Bishops, and Rooks are each represented with champions from Noxus and Demacia. Sure there are more chess pieces then a standard game has, but that doesn't matter. First Lux studies the Pawns quickly deciding where they belong.

Freljord champions don't worry her very much. Their politics are far from Noxus and Demacia and don't concern her. As long as she does nothing to interfere with their political moves she'll be fine. Since she has no intention of sticking her nose into their lives she feels secure about gently sliding them off her chess board. She has the same reaction for the champions from the Shadow Isles and the Void. Lux isn't certain what they want, but for now they seem to content to wait and watch. I'll deal with you when the time is right. Currently I'm busy with other affairs. One by one Lux thinks over each champion and their response to her marriage to Darius. It isn't until she reaches Ionian champions that she pauses. It is common knowledge that Ionia and Noxus went to war for years. A lot of hatred still flows from the Ionian people. A tinge of sorrow fills her. Before now she was a hero to Ionia, now she will be viewed as a traitor. It hadn't dawned on her that people outside of Noxus and Demacia will actually care beyond mild interest.

Carefully Lux mentally reviews all that she knows about the personal hatred from Ionian champions. All of them hate Noxians, but the few who actively have vendettas against them don't personally have it out for Darius. Thankfully Darius was kept in battle against her people instead of being shipped over to Ionia. None of their people's blood lies directly on his hands. Still this gives her pause and she stops to reflect on her situation.

She is married to one of the most notorious Noxian Generals on Runeterra. Darius is the Hand of Noxus, which is a similar political place as her brother. Lux knows all too well how much her brother's role as the Might of Demacia effects him. Enough thoughts on Garen. How many lives, innocent and not, has Darius taken? Or ordered to be taken? He's an efficient commander who gets the job done. A commander who gets things done the Noxian way. Although he is good to her, that doesn't make him any less of a ruthless killer who built his reputation on cutthroat strength in the battlefield. I need to remember that. Darius treats her with respect, and like an equal. No one else makes her feel the way he does, and gives her the same intense look. To be honest she doesn't anyone else to give her that look either. As much as he cares for me, his number one priority is the rise of Noxus. By marrying him she is now tied to him in ways she doesn't fully understand, and will discover the hard way. I love him. I can't just pick and chose which parts I love or don't love. I need to fully accept who he is, not who I want him to be. It dawns on her that she's given up her entire life for him.

How many years did she give to Demacia? What exactly will her people think of her? No, not my people. Former people. I'm as good as dead to them. Everything, and everyone, she holds dear from before is now gone. For the time being she is on hiatus as a champion. That means if she leaves Noxus she is fair game to personal attacks from Demacians. Did I trade one prison for another? Not exactly... Lux may not be able to move safely about, she is free to be herself. For the first time she is free to be her own person. Yet, she still has the yoke of her family reputation on her shoulders. Instead of it being a boon, here it will be a danger.

Draven made a good point yesterday. Darius is strong, and can't afford to show any weaknesses. If anyone finds out that he cares for her, she'll be used against him. I refuse to be a weakness to him. I will find a way to stand by his side and be useful! Somehow be useful and not cause ruin to innocent lives. These thoughts lead her back to the original problem she is worrying about. Who is not important, who is an asset, and who is a danger to her and Darius. How can she pull this off without ruining Darius's future? Can I pull this off? I'm just one former Demacian noble who rarely left home. No! I refuse to think such thoughts! I'm in this game to win and the prize is worth it! Firmly shaking her head side to side to remove her negative thoughts Lux forces her mind back to the task at hand.

After some thought, Lux gently pushes the Ionian Champion pieces off to the side, but separate from the other Pawns. They may still be Pawns, but she needs to keep an eye on them. Champions from Zaun and Piltover don't bother her too much. Again, if she leaves them alone, they should leave her alone. Except for Ezreal. Instead of respecting her no, he went behind her back and tried to get her through her father. The Ezreal piece she moves off to the separate from all the other Pawns into the dangerous section. He's a threat. I need to keep a careful eye on him. Mentally she labels Ezreal as a Rook instead of as a Pawn.

Finally she reflects on the people who aren't Pawns. People to be monitored closely. Most Noxians such as Sion, Vladimir, Talon, and Katarina don't worry her too much. They have their own personal agendas. They need to be watched, but as far she knows they don't actively want to cause Darius any grief. Urgot is a threat, but until she knows more about him she'll treat him like Ezreal. To be carefully watched out for, but not an intimidate threat. With one finger she moves the Urgot piece next to Ezreal. Ezreal and Urgot are like Knights, Bishops, and rooks. Tricky to work around, and to watched very carefully. The two players who really worry her, the two pieces she views as the greatest threats, are Swain and LeBlanc.

Both of them have their own agenda. An agenda she knows nothing about, and unlike Urgot they have a lot of political power. However, her instincts scream to be very wary of them. Swain is a tactician like herself. Unlike her, however, he has a well established reputation. Good! The longer he doesn't think of me the better. LeBlanc wants something, something to Lux that feels evil. To her, both of them are Queens and she isn't certain which King they're protecting. If they're protecting the same King at all. Again with one finger she slides them next to Ezreal and Urgot. Darius, and her future with him, is her King. Instead of being powerless like a King, he's more like the King mixed together with a Rook. Powerful and fairly straight forward. I won't use him, but I need to keep track on how he interacts with the other pieces. Once more Lux starts to chew on her bottom lip thoughtfully. I can't do this alone. I need allies, and I can't earn all of them through bribery. Mentally she reviews every Noxus chess piece and how they interact with the game as a whole. Not everything in this game is a set win. There are calculated risks that need to be taken. One of those risks is making allies who know about her then the average piece.

The one she keeps on coming back to is Katarina. As much as Darius loathes Katarina, Lux sees her as the best ally. Unlike most of the other Noxians, Katarina truly loves Noxus. As far as Lux can tell, Katarina actually loves Noxus like Darius does. Darius wants Noxus to rise strong, and so does Katarina. I want Darius to reach his goals, so the rise of Noxus is a priority of mine. Not the highest one, but an important priority nonetheless. If she can prove to Katarina that she wants Darius to be happy, which includes Noxus rise in power, then they should have enough common ground to form an alliance. I'm not sure how much she cares for Garen, but I know some interesting facts she might find useful. I'll use Garen as common ground as well as Noxus. Again she separates a chess piece from the group into a different section. The Katarina piece Lux determines to be a Knight, and she moves it next to her King. If she can win over Katarina, Talon should be an ally as well. Talon will be another Knight. Now that she has the Noxus chess pieces organized, time to move onto Demacia pieces.

Just like with Noxus, the queens are obvious. Juxen and Jarvin the 4th are the Queens. Jarvin loathes all Noxians with an unparalleled hatred. Since she gave up her ties to Demacia, and chose a Noxian General as a husband, she'll be high on his list of people to be eradicated from the face of Runeterra. Shyvana, Quinn, Galio, and Poppy are regulated as Bishops who follow Jarvin. Xin, Shauna and Lucian are pushed to the nonthreatening pile. Shauna won't actively hunt her down, and neither will Xin. Lucian seeks revenge more than he seeks to be a paragon of Demacian values. The three of them won't acknowledge her, but they won't hurt her either. Uncertain of where to put Garen, she moves him over the section with Xin and Shauna. He really doesn't like Darius, but he loves a Noxian. Hopefully between any brotherly love and his attraction to Katarina will keep him neutral. Juxen hates her for obvious reasons, and should be treated with extreme caution. Now that she has all the pieces identified, she starts to move them around her, Darius, and her allies according to danger levels. Carefully she looks over each piece, and who she'll deal with first.

Swain, LeBlanc, Jarvin and Juxen are the closet threats. Not only are they as pieces dangerous to her, the very ground they travel turns dangerous for herself and her King. I can handle Swain, LeBlanc, and Jarvin with the wedding announcement. With Draven's whole hearted approval during on his performances I should be relatively safe from the Noxian public. They'll be moved across the board further from her and Darius. Juxen, however, will hover nearby until she finds a way to deal with him permanently. He's a zealot when it comes to the family name, and I've stained it forever. He won't rest until I'm dead. Just behind Swain, LeBlanc, and Jarvin is Ezreal. He doesn't know when to give up, and she's certain he'll try something to get revenge for not getting his prize. Okay! Threats organized. Now to work on other parts of the plan.

A big part of this plan is keeping things safe and believable for herself and Darius. Well, mostly Darius's reputation safe. Draven mentioned her being a conquest. How in the world does one become a conquest? Even though Noxus and Demacia are technically at peace, the two countries still try to gain political advantages over each other. Which means, if Darius can prove he has power over her then he gains some sort of power over Demacia. By 'marrying' her, he manages to steal her away as an asset, and make her one for Noxus. He's taken conquest over Demacia by taking her. Hm, how I do I make this seem good for Darius? Carefully Lux looks at each angle. By know she knows that her reputation is in tatters, so how people view her is unimportant. Most people view me as an innocent child. So, if Darius manages to seduce me for his ego...I'll be a conquest that way. To help rub in the face of Demacia he sweeps little me off to Noxus to be a trophy wife. Of course in my innocence I don't say no to his advances. Every time Lux goes over possible explanations this seems to be the most believable. However there are some minor hitches. There are five pieces who know, or suspect that she isn't completely child like. Shauna, Xin, Sona, Janna and Ahri know enough of the truth to risky. Sona, Janna and Ahri don't worry her, but how Xin and Shauna will react does.

Out of all the people in Demacia telling Xin and Shauna the more of the truth seems like the best idea. They're her friends, and respected her secret enough not to push. Again, telling them is a calculated risk. I'll need to be very careful in what I tell them. I know they'll take my side when I tell them about the torture and attempted murder by my parents. However, how will they react when they find out that I married Darius? I guess I'll keep it simple and just tell them I'm happy with him, and keep some of the dates vague. There isn't long until the wedding announcement. Lux has less than a week to get things ready. I'll see if I can convince Janna, Ahri, and Sona to help spread and confirm 'rumors' about Darius and I. If I can get Katarina on my side, she'll cover the Noxus side of the rumors. They'll be my witnesses helping cement in this idea as me being a conquest for his ego. A sigh escapes her. Instead of pretending to act happy, now she gets to act like a happy trophy wife. Darius gets to act like himself, only he doesn't act very affectionate in public. More like smug. He can pull that off. I managed to act for years in Demacia, I can do the same here! That, and I did honestly expect him to show any sort of attachment for me in public? Oh well. It doesn't matter now! Life is like a game of chess, and I'm here to win. Where's the fun if the game isn't challenging? Here, in Noxus, I have been presented with a strong opponent I need to outwit. Once that is planned out, Lux starts making plans for the far future.

Simply staying as a trophy wife isn't what she wants, or what Darius needs. Eventually, she'll need to evolve her role into something more. Oh, it'll need to happen slowly and steadily, but it will happen. Lux ponders what she can do to be useful to Darius without being really harming Demacians. Just because they'll reject her, doesn't mean she's rejected them. The best course of action for that is wait and see. Opportunities will arise, and Lux will just need to keep tabs on them. Once a good one arrives, she'll leap on it. Strength above all doesn't mean I have to always be ruthless to become strong. I just need to get strong. Before Lux can think much further there is a knock on the door. Quickly dismissing her chess board Lux opens the door. An older man proudly bearing several battle scars gives her a serious look while balancing a tray on his arms.

As he looks her up and down with a critical eyes, Lux just stares back giving him an equally judging look. Back rigid she meets his gaze steady. Once she makes direct eye contact and establishes that she isn't a push over, she gives him a friendly smile.

"A pleasure to meet you. Lord Darius has informed me of your station here, and I am at your humble service. At my Lord's request I have brought you a late breakfast. Should you need anything, just ask. All of the servants here will do your bidding." The steward says politely.

"Hmm, all of them will do my bidding. But how many of them will only my bidding?" Lux says giving him a firm a stare. There are listening spells throughout this place. If Darius trusts him, I'll need to see if he knows about any spies. A good head steward will. Upon hearing her question she receives a knowing smile back.

"I knew my Lord Darius liked you for more than your looks. It pleases me to see that you have some brains behind that pretty blond hair. Yes, every household of importance has spies in them. We are lucky that they are so few, and easily recognized. They have not been made aware of your Lord Darius has taken steps to keep you safe." He tells her gravely.

"Ah, but what about the listening spells I spotted here when I first arrived? I noticed several. I did a quick fix to keep my presence hidden, but I'll need to do more thorough job. Do you have counter spells in place I need to be aware of?" Lux asks politely. At his askance look at learning about the listening spells Lux takes note. Interesting, very interesting. He doesn't know about the spells, and if he doesn't Darius probably doesn't either. I'll need to do some serious investigating.

"This is serious business. We do have objects in place that will remove them from the household. Thank you for informing me, I'll have them cleared away shortly." He tells her.

"Wait a moment. We don't want them gone. If they suddenly disappear, the people spying on us will know something is wrong. They might put into place something we can't detect. I know a few spells that should take care of the problem until I find out more information. I know a few tracking spells, but they'll take a lot of time. Now where is this breakfast? I'm rather hungry! Once I'm done eating I'll take care of the spells. I also have business that needs tending to, but that can wait until later in the day." Lux tells him with a smile. To her surprise he sets down a covered tray on the desk beside her. Once the food is secured, he gives her a deep bow.

"I am pleased to know that my Lord Darius has made such a fine selection for his wife. I was worried about his choice with you, but you have put my fears to rest. I should never have doubted my Lord Darius's judgment. Now, if you may excuse me I have business to attend to. There is a magical bell on the tray. Just ring it twice and someone I trust will bring you what you need. Good day my Lady." With that said he turns to leave.

"Wait! I don't know your name. How should I address you?" Lux asks quickly.

"Ah, my Lady has some respect for her servants. Please address me as Samsin. Good day my Lady." Samsin says with small smile and another deep bow. Once he is gone from eyesight Lux investigates her late breakfast. To her delight it is the most amazing pancakes she has ever had.

The butter the comes with the pancakes is one hundred percent sweet cream salted butter, and the syrup one hundred percent something she has never had before, but loves. A small cup of vanilla yogurt with granola is also with the pancakes, as well as two small round sausages. One the best things about the meal is the drink. In a cup with a minor refill spell on it is some of Zoe's Cider. Darius may be a cold blooded Noxian General, but he is still a sweet husband to me. And I love him. As her breakfast settles in her stomach, Lux ponders the best way to handle the listening spells. A simple mute spell don't work, not for the long run. Carefully she goes through her mental library of spells. It takes her sometime to find a solution. However, by the time she has found the spell she wants her lip is sore, and her hair well twisted in her fingers. Ready to get work Lux closes her eyes and views her new home from the magical point of view.

Interestingly enough, there are several listening spells leading to different places. More than person is spying on her husband. Some of the spells are simple, and rather shoddy. However, there is one spell that is very impressive. Gently she brushes her magic against each spell covering them with a fine magical fiber. Each fiber filters the conversation around them for key words, and doesn't pass them along. These are tricky spells, and she'll need to renew them every three days. By the time she is done taking care of all the listening spells Lux yawns loudly. Over the fast couple days she's used up a lot of her magic without giving her body a chance to recharge. No time for sleep yet! I'm on a deadline. Timidly, Lux searches the desk for a pen and paper. To her relief, she doesn't need to rummage through the desk long to find them. Thinking about her wording very carefully Lux pens several letters. The first one is for Katarina. Following that letter is one to Janna, Ahri, Sona, Xin, and Shauna. Satisfied with her letters, Lux rings the little bell twice and waits for a response. Not long after an older women with black and gray hair approaches her respectfully.

"How many I serve you my Lady?" She asks politely.

"I need to have this letter delivered to Katarina Du Couteau, and makes certain she receives it in person. Once she receives the letter, I would like to have a place to meet with her privately. I need to discuss some important business with her." Lux says gravely. As the servant nods her head in acknowledgment Lux hands her the letter. Before the servant turns to leave, Lux calls her to a halt.

"How should I address you?" Lux asks politely.

"Please address me as Lourdes my Lady. Do you have any other requests?" Lux shakes her head no.

"When I receive Miss Du Couteau's reply to your letter, I will arrange a place for the two of you to meet privately. Good day my Lady." Lourdes says with a polite bow.

Once Lourdes is out of view Lux summons up her chess board and rearranges some of the pieces before dismissing it again. Just a bit curious Lux explores some of the rooms in Darius's suite of rooms. For her quick efforts she finds a bathing room, a closet, a personal study, and the bedroom itself. As much as she would like to explore her home further, it is best to wait until the proper time. It is tempting to take a long, hot soaking bath but Lux holds off. She's clean enough now, and she doesn't know if, or when, Katarina will arrive. Several hours later Lourdes informs Lux that Katarina will visit her in just an hour. Lourdes leads her down towards a small room off to the side to the side of the main hall.

Once Lux explores her private meeting place, she requests to have her glass of refillable Zoe's apple cider brought down. Politely she requests that a bottle of fine whisky and shot glass be brought for Katarina. Lourdes gives her some questioning looks, but does as she requests. Carefully Lux arranges the meeting room to her standards then starts to put into place several spells. Katarina is still a wild card in this game, and Lux needs to take precautions.

"Lourdes, don't worry about my husband's displeasure. I'll handle him." Lux reassures her servant. Lourdes gives her a relieved smile. About half an hour later, Lux has all the spells she wants in place. Now all she needs to do is wait for Katarina. Just over an hour after

she sent out the letter Katarina arrives looking amused.

"Hello! Good to see you alive. I saw that you have some business with me?" Katarina says with an amused tone of voice.

"Yes, I do have business to discuss with you. But first, I have provided some drinks for us." Lux states simply before politely offering Katarina the seat closest to the whisky bottle and shot glass.

"Thanks. Offering me some booze to get me in a better mood? I'll have you know that I'm a mean drunk." Katarina says indifferently before sitting down and pouring herself a shot.

"I didn't bring you here to get drunk. If you choose to do so, I won't stop you. I need your help with something." Lux says politely waiting for Katarina to finish downing her first shot.

"Oh? Let me guess you need help your marriage to Darius! The man is an arrogant asshole. Why should I help you?" Katarina sneers at her. Lux just gives her a neutral smile.

"I do need help with my marriage to Darius. I'm surprised you know about us. I disagree with you on him being an asshole. As to why you'll want to help me is because we both want the same thing. You want glory for Noxus. I want Darius to be happy, and he wants glory for Noxus. To the best of my limited ability I will help him reach that goal. You may hate my husband, but your hatred of him is over shadowed for your devotion to Noxus. You may want to see Darius suffer. But, with your help I can present my marriage to Darius in a way that will bring glory to Noxus. I have a plan that'll make Darius look good, and by extension Noxus." Lux tells Katarina politely before taking a sip of her apple cider. Katarina gives her an interesting look before downing another shot.

"You have my attention. Go on before I get bored." Katarina tells her with another sneer. Before Lux can continue Katarina takes another shot her face starting to flush.

"If done correctly, I can spin Darius's marriage to me as a conquest over Demacia. However, I need crucial information planted in the right ears. I would like it if you planted, and confirmed certain rumors among select champions at Institute of War. I also need letters delivered to key people in the Institute. I know that you can be discreet." Lux tells Katarina with a friendly smile before taking another drink of her cider. Katarina just stares at her for a moment before laughing loudly.

"Hahahaha! That might just work. I'll help you just to annoy Darius. It'll stick in his jaw that I made his glorious wedding possible in Noxus. This is excellent whisky. You have good taste." Katarina tells her after downing another shot. Lux gives her a friendly smile.

"As my thanks to you, I'm going to tell you where Garen is ticklish." Lux says with a smile and wink. Just as Lux says this Katarina starts to down a shot and spits it out.

"What?! He's actually ticklish?" She yelps. Katarina wipes the whisky off her face and gives Lux a new kind of look.

"Garen is ticklish. He's only ticklish on his feet. His left foot is the most sensitive." Lux says calmly. Focusing intently, Lux snaps her fingers removing the mess from the coughed up whisky. No need to upset Darius by having his stuff get needlessly messy. Katarina raises an eyebrow then smirks at the mess suddenly disappearing.

"I like you. I like you a lot! You're sneaky, unlike most Demacians. I'll help you out because I like you, and because it'll annoy Darius! Haha! I'll get his goat twice by liking you, and helping him at the same time. Hahaha! Where are those letters you need delivered? I'll have them passed out by the end of the evening." Katarina says with a wide smile. Lux pulls out the letters from a pocket and hands them to Katarina.

"Keep the whiskey if you wish. We should get together sometime again. I enjoyed our conversation." Lux tells Katarina warmly. Katarina just gives her another look, a look that speaks of something edging into grudging respect.

"I'm glad you're not in Demacia any longer. You're a valuable asset. See you later!" Katarina says with a nod of her head as she walks out, whisky bottle in one hand, letters in the other. I love it when a plan comes together! Feeling very pleased with herself Lux rings the little bell twice. Again Lourdes attends her, escorting her back to Darius's private set of rooms.

"Lourdes, I would like my dinner early please. I plan on eating shortly after I bathe. I've had a rough couple of days. I need sleep. Do you know if Darius has any matches at the Institute of War tomorrow?" Lux asks with a yawn.

"Of course my Lady. Lord Darius has three matches lined up for tomorrow. My Lord usually spends the entire day at the Institute on days like tomorrow, but I'm sure he'll spend time at home beforehand." Lourdes tells her respectively.

To her surprise, and delight Darius has a nice large bathtub as well as an impressive shower. Drawing up a hot bath Lux allows herself time to just soak and relax. As she floats contently in the hot water Lux lets the stress just soak out of her. Although different in style, Darius's bathing room is just as nice as the one she had in Demacia. Unsurprisingly Darius's collection of bathing soaps is much simpler then Draven's large collection. Unlike with Draven's soap, however, she doesn't feel the need to tweak the scent. Nothing wrong with the way Darius smells. I'll see if I can ask him for some rose scented soaps though.

True to his word, Darius will be able to give her nice things just like he promised so many years ago. I'll be just as happy in the simple living conditions then as am I now. The only important thing is that I'm with him and free of Demacia. I'll miss the League though. I'll need to see if I can start up as a champion again? By the time she is done bathing, a hot dinner is waiting for her. Just like her late breakfast, it is exquisite food. Some of sort of light orange glazed beef, with fresh vegetables, a tasty pasta and a Freljord summer apple for dessert. Her drink for the evening is some sort of tea she's never had before. It is an amazing tea that she quickly grows fond of. By the time she is done eating large yawns are escaping her. The large comfortable bed calls to her, letting her know that she has a safe haven to sleep in. I'll just need another good night's rest, and I should be recharged from using a lot of difficult spells close together. A bit self consciously Lux snuggles under clean sheets, clean, naked and content. Maybe I should ask for some pajamas? No, I better not. It is nice waking up next to Darius naked. Warm pleasant thoughts of Darius float in her mind flowing smoothly into dreams.


	11. ABLADD11

Warm, comfortable thoughts float upwards as Lux drifts out of deep sleep into the groggy pre-coffee morning daze. Again confusing thoughts of where she is awakening give her pause before she suddenly remembers exactly where she is. And currently she is tucked snugly against Darius. A very naked Darius. Oh my! It is early, earlier then she normally wakes up. Darius is sound asleep holding her close. His warm breathe brushes against her ear as he snores softly. As Lux adjusts to her closeness to Darius her blush gradually fades. It is too dark to admire much of Darius, but she does realize just how much larger he is compared to her. All of him hard muscle decorated periodically with battle scars, compared to her much smaller, slender, scar free body. It wouldn't take much effort on his part to kill her with his bare hands, yet he's always treated her gently. Except for the one time he didn't recognize me, he's always been very gentle. Every time I ran into him and bounce off he's always been there to catch me before I fell. As long as she's known him, he's always been here for her.

Darius has done his best to care for her; all the way back when he was a young man barely courting her in the slums of Noxus. And he still tries to take care of her now that he is a Noxian General with a fine home. Silently she vows to watch over him as he does for her. He treats her as an equal, and his partner she'll do her best to be here for him. Even if she can't let his pride know that she is still the hero. You may be a ruthless Noxian General but I love you for who you are. You're more than just the Hand of Noxus...you're a man who cares deeply for me, and treats me well. For a while Lux just enjoys being close to him. Her future with Darius is her King, and she'll fight as hard as she can keep that future safe. To keep him safe. Uncertainty swamps her again. Is she up to the task of winning this game? It isn't just her future at stake, it includes Darius's as well. Before she can continue thinking along those thoughts Darius suddenly starts to plant butterfly kisses along her neck and one of his thumbs start to rub against her nipples.

"Eeep!" Lux gasps in surprise. What? When? How? Quickly going from reflective thinking to sudden arousal Lux feels a familiar blush spread across her.

"You're thinking too loud." Darius whispers softly in her ear before returning to butterfly kisses along her neck and shoulder blades. Feeling a familiar ache spread through her lower body Lux squirms a bit so she turn around and face him.

"I was thinking too loud? How can you hear me think?" Lux mummers thoughtfully. Slowly her mind turns to mush as he turns his butterfly kisses away from her neck and shoulder onto her breasts and lips instead.

"I'm a light sleeper. You went from snoring to more concentrated breathing. Your body also went from very relaxed to more stiff and alert. At some point you woke up, then started to brood about something. I thought I'd help take your mind off your troubles." Darius whispers into her ear after stopping the butterfly kisses.

"Sorry that I woke you up. I wasn't expecting to wake up this early. Normally I go to bed later." Lux says apologetically.

"I was curious why you were fast asleep by the time I got home. I didn't get home too late." Darius says.

"I've had a rough week." Lux replies with a huff.

"Rough enough you went to bed without waiting for me to come home." Darius teases softly kissing her forehead. Lux lets out a faint snort of annoyance.

"I'll have you know that I lost a magic battle, got knocked in the head with my broken light wand, and then got dumped into an abandoned mine shaft. I didn't wake up for two days, then I had to hike back thirty miles to Demacia in the middle of the night. Upon which I had to use magic to get in and out without getting caught. After that I'll have you know that I snuck into the Institute of War looking for you. You weren't around. Luckily Draven was, and he snuck me into Noxus. Draven cooked me a nice meal, let me use his shower, then helped me find a way to bribe Barthomue Kingles. Geez, I probably over extended with that spell! Finally I came here only to find several listening spells scattered around here. Between the amount of sleep I've gotten, and the patch up work it took me to secure this place for unwanted visitors I was very tired! I'm feeling much more rested now though." Lux mumbles grumpily. At some point in her annoyed tirade Darius went very still. Once she finishes Darius hugs her closer against him, holding her tight enough to almost cause bruising.

"Ooof! I'm fine. Honest. All I needed was some sleep." Lux reassures him.

"That is some story. Please give me the full version. I won't interrupt." Darius asks her.

"Ezreal tried to get me by going through my father. When my father ordered me to marry Ezreal..." Lux tells him softly. Before she can continue a deep menacing growl rumbles through his throat but he doesn't say anything. Briefly she kisses Darius on the chest to reassure him before continuing.

"I refused. While I was arguing with my father I lost my temper and let it slip about our marriage, my knowledge about Lilia, I said some harsh words. He lost it, and started to throw magic at me. I lost that battle and he broke my light wand in half then used half of it hit me in the head." Lux mummers softly, voice going sad at the memory of watching her beloved weapon get destroyed. Darius gently brushes his hand against the wound on her head.

"I woke up two days later in an abandoned mine outside of Demacia. Father didn't know that I can use magic without my wand. He didn't think to block out my magic like Lilia did. So I was able to use my magic to escape the mine. I walked the thirty some odd miles back to Demacia. Once I got there, I snuck in, packed my things and left. I got to the Institute of War, but you weren't there. Draven was, however, and he managed to sneak me into Noxus. With his help I was able to get a good meal, a bath, and some vital information. For my plan to succeed, I need our marriage license changed...so I found a way to bribe Barthomue into altering it." Lux tells him. Darius whistles very, very softly.

"Before you can ask, I healed his nephew so he can walk again. It was a difficult spell and it wore me out. I probably shouldn't have done such a spell considering how exhausted I was. But, I'm a time schedule. After taking care of my business with Barthomue Draven brought me here. I noticed that there are several listening spells hidden about. I used a spell to make them useless. Between all that of I wore myself out and went to bed early." Lux says simply. Once she finishes Darius goes back to butterfly kisses one his hands trailing down her side.

"You've been busy. It may be early but Samsin can bring us some breakfast. Wait here." Darius tells her before releasing his hold on her. Lux sits up in bed as Darius eases himself out of bed and leaves the bedroom for a bit. Once he comes back, Lux moves off to the side a little bit to give him plenty of room. Once Darius gets settled back in bed he reaches over and pulls her close.

"Samsin told me about the listening spells, and how you handled them. I am married to a very clever wife." Darius says with a very pleased tone of voice.

"Of course I'm clever. I'm one of Demacia's top tacticians. Well, I was one Demacia's top tacticians. Now I'm more along the lines of a private consultant." Lux admits reflectively, considering how her life made such a dramatic turn.

"Mhmm, you're now one of Noxians top tacticians. I'm sure Swain will be delighted to have your skills available for the glory of Noxus." Darius tells her sounding very content. Lux holds up one of her hands to his lips to silence him.

"I'd rather stay a private consultant. To be more specific your private consultant. I've worked very hard to keep myself underestimated. Please don't make me give up my efforts." Lux whispers softly. I don't want to admit that I don't trust Swain. Sorry love, but I'll stay low key until I know who to trust. Darius gives her a deep sigh before kissing her temple gently.

"Very well. Is there a reason why your plan involved having Katarina come into my home?" Darius inquires with a faint growl.

"Yes I invited Katarina here for a reason. In this game I need as many assets that I can to win. Katarina and Talon will make excellent Knights. I've invited her back for another friendly visit." Lux tells him with a shrug.

"The hell? Why?" Darius grumbles. Realizing that Darius doesn't view life she does, as a chess game to be won, Lux decides to elaborate. Unable to think of the best way to start verbally, she decides to show him her chessboard.

"Here...let me show you. Move back I need room." Lux scoots backwards until she nearly reaches the headboard. Following her Darius also reaches the headboard. Once he rests his back against it he scoops her up and sets her down on his lap. A very familiar hot blush covers her.

"Heh. I can feel that blush. I wish I had enough light to enjoy it." Darius whispers into her ear before wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Hmph! You'll get your wish in a moment. Let me show you what I mean." Lux grumbles at him. What is it with him enjoying my blush?! Men and their love of looking at breasts! Deciding to be slightly dramatic Lux snaps her fingers twice. After the first snap the glowing chessboard appears in front of her. Making sure that it is about level with her breasts, and roughly a foot in front of her so he gets a clear view. With the second snap the chess pieces she assigned appear in their prospective places with their appropriate features showing which champion is considered which kind of piece. Briefly reviewing her work to make sure it is clearly displayed Lux smiles at its simple beauty.

"This is how I currently our current situation and which piece each champion plays. As strong as you are, and as clever as I am, I need help to pull this off properly. There are calculated risks in required for winning. Gathering allies is one of the risks. I've chosen Katarina and Talon as the most likely candidates. People like Barthomue are Pawns, but I need stronger pieces such as Knights, Rooks and Bishops. Katarina and Talon will be Knights. I've already gotten Katarina's help. With a bit more effort I can win over Talon. Life is a like a game of chess, and I'm in it to win." Lux tells him simply. Darius rests his chin on her head and studies her chessboard intently.

"Do you always view life like this?" Darius inquires before kissing her cheek.

"Well, this is just a simplified way of how I view things. The actually way I think out future moves is more complex. Sometimes just having a visual aide helps me get a baseline to work from. Living here is a provides a very challenging opponent and I need all the help I can get. Hmm." Lux replies. Realizing that her board is outdated Lux moves one of her fingers around moving the Katarina Knight across the board to a new location. Shortly behind the Katarina piece is Talon which moves across the board to a different location nearby. Pleased with her handiwork Lux studies the board for another moment before dismissing it.

"That's impressive. I view a battle similar to that, but not nearly as complex. How far out does this game go out?" Darius asks after a thoughtful pause.

"As long as I need it. So far the pieces you saw closest to us go out for about a year or so. As new additions happen, I move around the pieces for future counter attacks or defenses." Lux answers proudly. Darius gives her a sad sigh against her neck.

"Does Katarina really need to be such an important piece? And does she really have to come over again?" Darius grumbles unhappily.

"For the plan to succeed yes. She's already started to implement what I need her to do." Lux says happily.

"What exactly is your plan?" Darius asks with a slightly amused tone of voice.

"Well, my plan goes like this..." Lux starts to tell him. It takes several moments to explain about the conquest part, how her friends and Katarina will help cement in the rumors, and how they need to act in public. After that she explains why she is doing the plan this way, how it'll hopefully work in the long run, and other small details she feels are important. Darius just holds her close for a few moments in silence before speaking again.

"I like your plan. It'll make Noxus, and myself, seem very powerful. Can't say it'll help your reputation. I know the truth, and no one else's opinion matters. And if anyone gives you too much grief, I'll give them to Draven as playthings." Darius whispers into her ear. Before she can reply he nips at her ear then starts kissing her neck. Lux jumps startled at the sudden return of his sexual attention. As she squirms a bit on his lap she feels him let out a low groan of pleasure. Readily becoming evident to her is growing erection right under her. The all too familiar blush that had faded away quickly returns.

"D-Darius..." Lux moans out as one of his hands starts to travel south. Just as his hands reaches her sweet point there is a polite knock at the door.

"Guess the food's here but it can always wait..." As Darius finishes his sentence Lux's stomach growls. If it is possible for Lux to blush even deeper she will.

"Or maybe not. I'll be right back." Darius tells her as he slides her off his lap. Severely tempted to hide under the covers again, Lux waits for him to return. Soon enough Darius returns with a tray of food. Delicious smells drift over to her, and her stomach growls again louder. A soft chuckle can be heard from Darius as he balances the tray on his lap. Swiftly scooting over to him Lux looks to see what kind of food he has. A selection of fresh fruit, some eggs sunny side up, small sausages, as well as some yogurt await them.

"We could use some light to see by..." Darius asks hopefully. Soon a small ball of white light appears just above them. Reaching for a fresh strawberry Lux notices that Darius isn't touching the food but is watching her instead. A small smile on his lips grows larger as her companion blush slides all the way down her body. Quickly eating the strawberry Lux turns her away she can't see his growing smile. One of his hands gently cups her cheek and turns her head back to look him in the eyes.

"Why are you ashamed? You're beautiful..." Darius tells her. All she does is shake her head before reaching down for another piece of fruit.

"I managed to marry a woman who is the beautiful image of strength. No matter what anyone else tells you, you are a strong woman. The only woman strong to worthy of my attention. No one is strong enough to be married to me." He tells her with a smile before grabbing a fork to eat some eggs.

"How does being beautiful make me strong?" Lux inquires as she reaches for a sausage.

"It isn't your outer beauty that makes you strong. You're a powerful mage, an impressive tactician, and you have a very strong personality. Being drop dead gorgeous is just a pleasant perk." Darius informs her. After that the two of them eat in silence merely enjoying each other's company. Just as the two of them finish eating the first rays of dawn sunlight peek into the room.

"We should get dressed. We both have a lot of business to attend to today. I'll go to the Institute of War acting smug, while you get a new wardrobe." Darius tells her softly. After setting down the breakfast tray Darius heads over to his closet to get dressed. For a few brief moments Lux admires Darius's naked body in the early dawn light. Every inch of him is toned muscle with several battle scars. To her the scars didn't make him ugly, they increased his handsome appearance. Those scars are testament to a hard life thrown at him that he overcame victorious. Forcing herself to focus on the task at hand Lux slides out of bed looking for her clothes. Which she can't find. The hell?

"Darius...where are my clothes?" Lux squeaks voice going high. He mentioned a new wardrobe...

"Your clothes need a good wash so I had one of my maids take them down to be cleaned. Samsin has a niece who is a seamstress. Samsin trusts her to stay quiet, so I've hired her to get you a new wardrobe. She'll be over shortly. For the time being it'll be best if you don't leave my quarters. Samsin will see to your needs. I've brought you some books to read." Darius tells her firmly. With his armor in place Lux watches her husband stride out of his quarters and down the hallway.

Once she can no longer hear his footsteps Lux looks around for something to wear until the seamstress arrives. To her relief Darius left her one of his shirts to wear. As she puts it on she inhales deeply enjoying the smell of it. On an end table is a first edition of Liu Zin's 'Final Battle in the Mountains.' One finger lightly traces the leather binding. Course blue leather rubs against her fingers. Where in the world has he managed to find so many copies of old books like this? Gently picking up the book Lux sets down in a large chair. Knees tightly tucked against her chest Lux starts to read. About three chapters in there a polite knock at the door. Before she answer a rather plump looking woman comes in with a large bag of supplies.

"Hello little one! Let's get you measured so you can have the fanciest wardrobe in all of Noxus." The plump woman says firmly. Before Lux can say anything the seamstress marches over to her. Barely having enough time to set down her book Lux is swept up on her feet.

"Oh, um hi. How should I address you?" Lux asks nervously as the woman walks around her. Vague memories of her childhood return as she is measured for a new wardrobe. With brisk efficiency the seamstress wraps around all sorts of measuring tape to get the right measurements. Following the seamstresses instructions Lux turns, lifts up her arms, etc for the proper results. The entire process takes about two hours.

"You may call me Buns. You're in luck! I have some pieces in my shop that won't take too much adjustments to fit you. I'll have them sent over within a couple hours. The remaining clothes will take longer. I'll have more of your wardrobe sent to you by the end of the week. Do you have any requests?" Buns asks briskly as she starts to pack up and leave.

"I need a wedding dress within three days. It should be, um, sexy..." Lux says with a pause uncertain of how to describe what she needs. Her faithful companion the blush creeps down her cheeks.

"Ah. Yes! Lord Darius did mention that you'll need something like that. I have several designs in mind that will work for you. I'll even have special under garments to go with the dress. Make our Lord Darius happy, eh?" Buns says with a cackle. All Lux can do is blush even redder.

Once Buns leaves Lux returns to her book. Soon enough she is engrossed in her book and completely loses all track of time. Another polite knock at the door informs her that lunch is here. Sure enough another delicious meal is provided. I'll need to start exercising and using a lot more magic to burn off all these calories. The lunch provided for her some sort of rich stew with dumplings, fresh salad, apple slices, and that same delicious tea from before. Shortly after finishing the amazing lunch Lux returns to her book. Before she can get very far into reading the book there is another courteous knock on the door. This time instead of food it is a chest full of clothing.

With care Lux sets down her book on the end table and investigates part of her wardrobe. Lux lets out loud impressed whistle. When Buns said the fanciest wardrobe in all of Noxus she wasn't kidding! Inside the chest are several dresses, fancy undergarments, a couple sets of matching shirts, pants, and vests. All three of the dresses are made from a very fine silk. One of the shirts is made from sort of fine cotton Lux has never seen before, but feels amazing. The hell? Is this what I think it is?! The finest of the clothing, a skin hugging long sleeve shirt has actual gold woven into the trim. Fancy patterns that boggle the mind at how much effort they took to create stun her. Sure, she had fine clothing in Demacia, but nothing like this!

These are the kind of clothes that a princess would wear. It is part of the plan for her dress like a trophy wife, in the finest clothes, but this is above what she expected. I hope this plan doesn't bankrupt Darius. These clothes aren't cheap! Maybe the next set of clothes won't be as fancy...After deciding to put on one of the dresses and the least revealing of the undergarments Lux gets comfortable again and goes back to reading her book. Just as the sun starts to set Darius returns from the Institute of War. As Darius enters the room he shrugs off his armor and puts it away. Lux sets down her book stands up stretching her stiff muscles. With a slight bounce in her step Lux goes over to Darius and gives him a hug.

"Welcome home. Thank you for the clothing...they're amazing. I've never owned clothing that fancy before." Lux tells him while still giving him a hug, burying her head against his chest. Darius lets out a pleased noise before nudging her towards a table.

"You're welcome. You look very nice in that outfit." Darius tells her with a husky tone of voice. Judging by the look in his eyes, Lux knows she'd look even better without the dress on in his eyes.

"How were things at the Institute today?" Lux inquires while taking a seat.

"If looks could kill I would be a very fine layer of ash on the ground. I don't know what you're having Katarina do for your plan. But I do know that every single Demacian wants my blood. Several of the Ionian champions would like my hide as well." Darius tells her with a faint smirk.

"Love the attention do you?" Lux says with a low laugh. Thank goodness for the League! He'd be in actual danger if there aren't such strict rules in place.

"Ugh! Not like that. I'm not Draven. I'll be glad once we're settled in. Just three more days until you can run about in public. No more need for hiding in the center of my home." Darius tells her seriously. Lux smiles at him. Apparently hiding her is just as frustrating as having to hide is. Just three more days...Before either of them can talk further there is a polite knock on the door. Samsin just delivered their dinner. The two of them eat their meal in comfortable silence before retiring to bed for some very comfortable cuddling.

For the next two days Lux stays hidden in Darius's set of rooms. Occasionally she'll wander between the bathing room, private study, and the bedroom just admiring the decor. Darius has a fondness for the colors black, red, and dark brown. All of his furniture is done in shades of those colors. On the second day a chest to hold her simple belongings appears. It is an impressive piece of carved cherry wood stained blood red, with small delicate flower inlays of what appear to be lapis lazuli, jade, and mother of pearl .

Even though she didn't ask, the chest comes with a lock. She is given a key, and there is a special space on the inside of the lock to hold in a place a magical lock. The piece is gorgeous, expensive, and touching in the amount of care put into it. Later that day Lux asks him about the costs of his gifts, and all she gets in reply is, 'I have lots of gold to spend. I chose to spend it on you.' I just hope that he gets paid well as the Hand of Noxus! Surely he can't keep up gifting me such things forever. He's probably just spoiling me in the beginning. One thing is for certain, with all the things Darius is giving her, Lux feels like a princess. When she was very, very young Lux used to dream of her prince in shining armor treating her this way. Although Darius is not a prince or wears shiny armor, he does treat like she used to dream about. I wouldn't say my life is a dream come true, but it is certainly happier than dreams I've ever had.

On the dawn of the third day Lux wakes up with a jittery feeling in her stomach. Today is the big day! She'll find out if her careful planning pays off. In essence it is also her wedding day, because she 'officially' becomes married to Darius. There will be a wedding dress, a celebration, and so much more. Mind you, being shown off as a trophy wife isn't exactly what she anticipated early on, but she'll do what needs to be done. Darius already left for the morning. He also has a part to play, and he'll be busy for most of the day until later this evening when the big event happens. Lux is also a bit nervous. Buns choices in clothing for her has been less modest then Lux personally likes. Darius loves the choices, but Lux still hasn't adjusted to them yet. Before Lux can get dressed there is a polite knock on the door.

"Come in Buns!" Lux yells out. Buns, and a couple of her nieces, have been chosen to help her get ready. Buns and three younger women ranging in ages from ten to twenty-one, rush in and surround her. Lux barely has time to learning their names as Lynze, Laurne, and Sunzy before she is surrounded in activity. The wedding dress before her is stunning, and also very showy. It clings to her body like a second skin. It is strapless, with a revealing slit up both sides of the dress. Delicate lace with small silver accents give it an innocent look. Lux learns to her horror that it doesn't come with a bra, but a bit magic will do what needs to be done. When Buns said, 'special undergarments' she didn't mention the lack of bra! The panties themselves are pretty much see through thin white cotton. All it'll take is a small tug on one of the thin straps and it'll fall right off. With careful placement is a satin garter only visible with certain movements. See through lacy leggings cling to her legs. High heels with polished silver buckle straps add an additional three inches to her height. Once she is in her dress, the girls descend upon her for her hair and makeup.

Soon Lux finds herself in fancy accents of blue, silver, and the faintest tints of pink makeup. Darius surprises her with a delicate necklace consisting of blue topaz, blue pearls, and tiny sapphires on a white gold chain. There are matching earrings, and thin white gold bangles. The three young women braid her hair into lots of little braids, then pull them up into a bun. Small strands of pearls, crystals, and gold hold her hair up. As Lux looks herself in the mirror she wonders where the little mage from Demacia went. She'd never imagine wearing such an outfit while in Demacia. What would Shauna think? Xin? Or Garen? Would they recognize me? Once she is completely ready to go Buns leads her out of the room.

"Lord Darius will meet you in the arena. Lord Draven has made arrangements to meet you there. You look lovely. Every man in Noxus will be jealous of Lord Darius." Buns said with pride. All it takes is a little magic on her part, and Lux is outside and into a carriage without being seen. As the carriage travels through the streets of Noxus Lux looks outside. Hopefully everything will go according to plan!

Samsin leads her through the less traveled passages in the Noxian Arena Lux takes careful note of every exit. In case something goes wrong, she'll want to know the best way out. With a bow, Samsin leaves in a small chamber that rises into the arena above. Draven is leaning against a podium with a very amused look on his face. When he spots her, his eyes grow very wide. Then a smirk quickly crosses his face.

"Hey! Sister-in-law! I will give you my favorite pair of axes if you dump the loser that is my brother and marry me instead. I'll pleasure you in ways you can't imagine and..." Draven drawls out before dodging quickly to right narrowly missing Darius's clenched fist.

"Draven...shut up!" Darius growls menacingly. His eyes almost have a red tint to them as he glares at Draven. Lux just smiles remembering all the good times she had with them so many years ago.

"It is okay Darius. I won't leave you. At least not for a pair of bloody axes." Lux says with a smirk. Darius just face palms. Once Darius stops face palming, he looks her over. Her faithful friend, the blush, returns full force.

"Does this mean if Draven cleans his favorite axes you'll consider marrying me?" Draven asks cheerfully making sure he is well out of range of Darius.

"This'll be harder than I first thought. It's one thing to act smug because I captured an angel. It'll be a different matter to keep from killing all the men who stare at you too long." Darius says with a grumble.

"Don't worry about them! Just stick to the plan, and everything will work out." Lux says with a confidence she doesn't completely feel. Before she can settled Darius reaches into a pocket of his formal armor and pulls out a ring.

Not just any ring, but her wedding ring. A wide band of Noxian Blood Gold inlay with Ionian silver accents gleams in the dim light. Set in the center of the ring is a large Demacian Star Sapphire. The sapphire is the exact same color as her eyes, and the star is six points perfectly aligned in the middle. Around the sapphire is an array of brilliant red rubies, black diamonds, and a couple emeralds tucked in. At the sight of the elegance that is her wedding ring, Lux gasps in surprise. If she thought that her clothing, chest, and food cost a small fortune they couldn't compare in price to this ring. Darius just gives her a smug look before reaching out and taking hold of her left hand. Tenderly he slides the ring onto her ring finger, where it is a perfect fit.

"Oh wow...I already know this cost you a fortune, but this custom made! How long have you been planning on giving me something like this?" Lux asks softly. A faint happy memory of her first wedding ring comes to mind. One thing is for certain, he definitely plans ahead! But how far ahead?

"Long enough. Now, come it's time to for us to do our act. Then we can go home and enjoy each other's company." Darius says, his voice going deep and husky at the end.

Draven coughs at them, letting them both know he is still present. Lux just ducks her head, hiding her ever present blush. Draven provides them with a couple seats next to him. Taking her seat next to Darius, Lux pulls up her ever familiar illusion spell. No matter what is she feeling, she'll look timid and shy. There will be a bit of fear in her eyes just to help herself looking unprepared. Quickly she squeezes Darius's hand before releasing it. Remembering her cue, Lux wraps her arms around one Darius's arms and looks ahead. Once they reach the main arena surface countless voices shout out Draven's name. Upon spotting her and Darius the crowd dies down.

"Fans of Draven! Good citizens of Noxus! I bear great news. My own brother, General Darius, managed to seduce and marry away one of the most famous Demacian champions...Luxanna Crownguard! Now her beauty is for Noxus alone. His great conquest over the purity of a Crownguard will live on in history for generations! Draven gives their marriage one hundred percent approval. My brother could have not have done anything greater to honor me! Everyone cheer for General Darius!" Draven booms out over the crowd.

By the time he is done with his speech the crowd is chanting Darius's name. Lux merely keeps her body tucked close to Darius. Carefully she spies on the more important figures in the crowd, Swain, Urgot, LeBlanc, and Sion. All of them have various looks of shock on their faces. Gradually Urgot's and Sion's faces relax into smug admiration. The troubling looks come from Swain and LeBlanc. Both of them cold, calculating looks in their eyes. Lux feels vaguely like a steak in front of lion while in their gaze. Before long, however, their faces turn into a pleased looking smirk. A smirk Lux knows is forced. They don't appear to be very happy at my 'conquest'. I'll need to keep a closer eye on them. But, so far all things are going according to plan! For the rest of the event, the crowd stops chanting Darius's name. Instead, all of their attention shifts back to Draven. So far, so good! Now the hard part begins...


	12. ABLADD12

Lux keeps careful control over her illusion spell. What she wants to do, and what she has to do are very different. Part of the plan is to show off Darius's trophy wife. Which means a small parade around Noxus to show her off. Keeping one arm permanently attached to Darius isn't hard, it is the constant sneers. Perhaps it is a lifetime of adoration while out in public, but the attention she gets in the Noxian public is very different. From her observations people are giving her looks of hate, disgust, sneers, and smug leers. All of the negative attention is making her uncomfortable. I had not calculated on this...even with Draven's approval the Noxian public still doesn't ' like' me. I'll need to work on that. After what seems like forever Lux and Darius arrival back at his home. A loud sigh of relief escapes her.

"You were great. And I managed to not kill anyone for the way they looked at you. We'll make this work. Your plan is wonderful. Before we go much further I thought I'd give you a full tour of our home." Darius tells her with a smile.

As he walks her down a hallway he shrugs off his armor allowing one of his servants to take care of it. Lux is very impressed with her new home. There are several rooms for meeting people, a couple guest bedrooms, a very impressive dining hall, an extensive kitchen, places for the servants to live, and so many more little useful rooms. The last room Darius takes her to is the library. After just a few steps into the library Lux pauses, eyes going wide. His library is huge! Wall to wall floor to ceiling bookshelves cover just about everywhere. There are a couple comfortable black leather couches, four matching plush chairs, two tables to work on. In the very center of the room is an impressive desk. Completely forgetting about her husband, Lux walks into the library hands trailing over bookshelves. There is an entire bookcase dedicated to her favorite kind of books. Now I know where he got all of those books to lend me! He has so many I've wanted to read...and there are some here I've never heard of! I'm in heaven...Before Lux can admire much more of the library strong arms wrap around her from behind.

"Do I need to be jealous of my library? It is going to steal you away from me?" Darius teases her gently.

"I'm afraid so." Lux teases him back. As she just enjoys his embrace her stomach growls reminding her that is has been several hours since she last ate something. Lux blushes slightly.

"I'd anticipated this. There is food ready for us in our rooms. Come, let us go eat." Darius tells her with a smug look. As she turns to head out of the library Darius scoops her in his arms.

"Eeep! What are you doing?!" Lux gasps out. Darius just chuckles.

"I believe I am carrying my wife up to our bedroom for some quality time together." Darius tells her with a smirk.

As always her faithful companion the full body blush visits. She's been so busy focusing on how to act that Lux completely forgot what exactly she is wearing. As she feels the heat radiating off of Darius, Lux realizes what she is wearing, or rather how little she is wearing. Arousal floods through her as how close she is to Darius. Over the past few days Darius has pleasured her, but not in the manner she knows he really wants. Today is probably the special day he's been hinting at for our second wedding night. Oh my! Quickly Lux makes sure that the birth control spell she learned is in place. Glad that it is ready for days like today Lux blushes. Again, if she could blush any deeper she would. Once the two of them enter the master bedroom Darius gently sets her down on her feet.

"Oh!" Lux explains in surprise body freezing in place. The room is lit entirely with low light candles. There is a trail of red rose petals over the floor leading to the bed. Set up on a table is a hot meal, a wrapped present, and a chess board. Darius gently nudges her towards the table. Like a gentleman he pulls out a chair for her. Once she sits down he pushes the chair up against the table. The meal he has ready for the two of them is simple, but delicious. There is a lightly glazed grilled chicken breast, steamed vegetables, a pasta with a white sauce, and for dessert a familiar apple pie. It is the same apple pie that he shared with her on their first date. Unlike before, this time the apple pie comes with a decadent vanilla ice cream. To drink there is a pitcher of Zoe's apple cider. At the sight of familiar favorite foods, Lux gives Darius a tender smile.

"Thank you." Lux whispers voice deep with emotion. Darius just gives her a pleased smile in response. The two of them eat dinner in mostly comfortable silence. It would be completely comfortable except the heated looks from Darius make Lux squirm a bit in her seat with desire for his touch. As far as she can tell, Darius knows exactly what effect his look has on her and enjoys her reaction.

"I have a wedding present for you." Darius tells her as he hands her the wrapped present. As Lux examines the wrapped gift she guess that it is a book of some sort. Carefully peeling away silver wrapping, she smiles at the gift. Her husband is giving her the first book her lent her.

"Thank you." Lux again whispers with emotion. Carefully she hugs the book to her chest warm memories filling her.

"I noticed that was your favorite out of all the books I lent you. You have free reign of the library, but I thought you'd enjoy owning that one personally." Darius tells her with a smile. Lux simply gives him a large smile back before carefully setting the book down on the table.

"Time for our customary game of chess? I won't go easy on you." Lux tells him with a smug look. So far ever since she's stop playing pretend he's only won three games.

"Ever since I learned the truth you've never gone on easy on me. It is a pleasant change to have an excellent opponent." Darius replies back. Soon the two of them are engrossed in the game of chess. Lux quickly figures out that Darius hesitates and often makes a bad move when she leans over the board to move a piece. Apparently a lot of open cleavage is a great distraction. Always utilize one's advantages the best way possible. Soon enough Darius figures out her plan.

"You're doing that on purpose." He grumbles a bit after losing another game. Lux just smiles at him innocently.

"I am impressed with the bra Buns constructed for your dress though." Darius says reflectively, admiring the view.

"Um, I'm not wearing a bra. The uplift is caused by magic." Lux admits sheepishly. Darius's eyes widen then narrow. A very smug look crosses his face.

"I'll need to investigate that." Darius murmurs with a wolfish grin on his face.

Darius slides out of his seat and stalks over to her. Lux freezes in place at his predatory attitude. Oh my! Hot arousal floods through her. As always her best friend forever, the full body blush is with her. Before Lux can think too much about it Darius is suddenly behind her. How'd he move so f- All rational thoughts go out the window as his hands suddenly slip under her dress. Darius squeezes her breasts, massaging them in an erotic manner. Soon he presses his face against her neck and starts to lick her neck. He doesn't spend long just licking her neck, soon he starts to nibble then kiss. Every movement he makes on her body is precise and controlled. This is a man who knows how to pleasure a woman, and is using this knowledge completely to his advantage.

"Darius..." Lux moans out. Her breath starts to come out faster and faster. Quickly she grasps the arms of the arm pleasure coursing throughout her body, causing her to tense up. Smoothly Darius eases her out of the chair and into his arms. Quicker then Lux thought possible her wedding dress is suddenly off and on the floor. A fever fills her and Lux starts to help Darius out of his clothes, her hands sliding up and down his body.

Faster then she expects Lux finds her underwear, garter, and stockings on the floor next to her dress. Darius's hands wander up and down her body stroking her every sensitive spot teasingly. Quickly Darius picks her up and rests her on his hips. Letting out a pleased groan as Lux feels his excited desire press against her. Firmly he sets her down on the edge of the bed. With a lick of his tongue Darius starts to lick and kiss her breasts. Gasping again in delight Lux wraps her fingers in his hair. Slowly, teasingly he starts kissing his way downwards.

Instinctively Lux spreads her legs far apart. Gently Darius kisses her inner thighs, gradually working his way towards her honey pot. Lovingly Darius flicks his tongue into her crotch. Lux arches her back in pleasure, hands gripping his hair harder. Tantalizingly he trails his tongue upwards before flicking it into a half circle around her clit. Firmly he presses his tongue firmer against her before pushing it into her. Steadily picking up the pace Darius pushes his tongue in and out of her. Pleasure builds deep within her as a climax starts to crash into her. Her body tenses and arches against him.

"Darius!" Lux screams in pleasure as she orgasms hard.

As her body starts to come down from the most amazing orgasm in her life Lux releases her hold on Darius's hair. Darius isn't done, however, and he gently pushes her further onto the bed. Rolling onto her back Lux stares up into Darius's eyes. His gaze is intense with several emotions. Wrapping her arms around his neck Lux reaches up and kisses him. As their mouths meet their tongues explore each other. Briefly their tongues wrap around each other before they release. Whimpers of pleasure return as he starts to kiss, lick, and suck on her neck and down her breasts. Lux's hands grip his shoulders hard nails leaving behind wounds on his skin.

"Trust me." Darius whispers in her ear before slowly sliding his cock deep into her. Lux moans out his name as he slides into her, filling her in ways she only experienced once before. At first Darius slides in and out of her slowly, with precise controlled movements. Wanting more, so much more she squirms against him whimpering a bit with need.

"We do this my way." He murmurs into her ear without picking up the pace. Again pleasure builds deep within her. Unlike before, this time the tingles of her orgasm come on slowly. Her fingers tighten against his shoulders even more drawing blood. Just before her climax hits Darius pauses moving completely. Letting out another whimper, Darius kisses her neck. Suddenly going from not moving to quick powerful thrusts Lux screams in pleasure.

"Darius! Darius! Darius!" Lux screams. Again a climax hits her, driving her over peaks of pleasure and desire. With a sudden hard thrust Darius holds her close as he orgasms.

"Luxanna...!" Darius moans out. As Darius comes in her, Lux can feel a pleasant warmth spread out through her abdomen. Slowly Darius pulls out and rolls over onto his side. Reaching out he pulls her against him. Both of them are breathing heavy.

"Nothing can compare." Darius tells her softly as he rests his head against hers.

"What can compare?" Lux asks out of breath. Her entire body feels amazing as an afterglow of something amazing fills her.

"Nothing can compare to the pleasure that is the sound of you screaming out my name." Darius tells her hugging her tightly. As Lux relaxes her grip on his shoulders realizes that she drew blood.

"Oh! I hurt you! I'm sorry..." Lux says apologetically. A shame fills her that he brought her such pleasure and she hurt him in the process.

"Heh. Don't worry about it. It shows I did a great job. I'll heal." Darius says with care. One of his hands brushes aside some hair that fell across her face.

"Well, I can help with the healing process. Here, let me kiss you better..." Lux whispers in reply. Gently she kisses his chest. As she kisses him her fingers glow a faint blue and heal the wounds she made. With a faint swirl of her fingers against his back, Lux removes the blood she drew.

"I get great sex and after sex care? You're the most amazing wife. We should get some sleep, we both have busy days tomorrow." Darius tells her softly. Lux feels him carefully tuck her tight against him. Once she is tucked firmly against him, he falls asleep. As he starts to snore against her, Lux smiles. Making herself comfortable against him, she falls asleep herself.

Sometime the next morning Lux drifts awake. She finds herself alone in bed. As she rolls over on her side, her hands grasp the empty space where Darius should be. He must have woken up early to do some important business. A tiny part of her sighs deeply that he isn't here when she woke up. Slowly Lux eases herself out of bed. All around her red rose petals caress her bare skin. Picking one up, Lux looks at it before rubbing it against her cheek. Enjoying the feel of silken petal against her skin, Lux admires the view again. A brisk flick of her fingers causes the petals to all organize themselves into a neat pile near the door. Might as well make the cleaning job easier for the servants. Perhaps it is the practice from his fingers earlier this week, but she isn't as sore as she expected. Waiting for her on the table is a hot meal.

Unsurprisingly, the meal is a delight. There are fancy eggs, yogurt, granola, fresh fruit, and small muffins. To drink there is orange juice. After last night's activities Lux finds herself ravenous. It doesn't take long for her to eat everything. Once she finishes eating, Lux decides what to wear. After some thought, Lux decides to wear one of the shirt and pants sets. This one is a soft cotton dyed a light shade of pink. Delicate stitched patterns line the sleeves and hems. Simple and elegant it fits her tastes. With a light bounce in her step Lux dances out of her room and down the hallway. Uncertain of what to do exactly, Lux decides to go the Institute of War. Now that she is officially married to Darius, her status as a champion changes. Can I still be a champion? Better find out! Now that everything is official, there is little her father can do to her. Ezreal can tough her even less. All that is left of her old life is to find out her status as a champion.

It takes a lot of effort not to react poorly to all of the negative looks she receives from the Noxian public. Longer then she would have liked, she arrives at the transport room. After some discussion with a summoner, Lux finds herself back at the Institute of War. Before she can go very far, she is ushered off to a private meeting room with Prince Jarvan. Waiting for her is Jarvan, Xin, Vayne, and Shyvana each of them with a serious look on their face.

"We heard about the trick that bastard Darius did to you. We understand your predicament. Since you're a bit simple it is understandable that he was able to take advantage of you. Just leave it to me and I can fix this." Jarvan tells her seriously. A compassionate look is on his face, but all Lux can remember is horror. So many years ago her mother told her the same thing. And look how things turned out then.

"NO!" Lux screams in horror. Despite all of the years, and it being a different person, those same words drive terror into her soul.

"Pardon me, Miss Crownguard?" Jarvan says, his words crisp and cold.

"Ah, sorry my Prince. What I mean to say is that I'm fine with my marriage. You don't have to do anything." Lux mutters quickly. Oh shit, things are already going wrong.

"Of course you're fine. You don't know any better. I can still fix this for you. You belong to Demacia." Jarvan says softly. Despite the kindness of his words, Lux shudders. No! Not again! I guess it is time to tell more of the truth...there is no going back now.

"Excuse me my Prince. But I do know better. As you know, several years ago I became ill. I wasn't ill I was fighting with my mother. We were fighting over me getting married. I refused to follow her orders. She tried torturing me into her will. I pretended to be reduced to a simple state to avoid the fast she wanted for me." Lux states slowly, each word selected with care. With each sentence the look on Jarvan's face grows darker and darker.

"Why didn't you come to me about this?" He barks out.

"It isn't that simple..." Lux tries explaining. Before she can Jarvan leans across the table and stares at her. His eyes seems to go deep into her soul.

"Miss Crownguard you just admitted to committing high treason against Demacia. Not only did you disobey your mother, you disobeyed your country. Imagine all of those years your magic could have saved Demacian lives! Instead you acted like a coward. Worse of all, instead of serving your country you marry a Noxian! You willing gave yourself away to the enemy!" Jarvan tells her. With each sentence his voice rises higher and higher. Before Lux can utter another word Jarvan gives her his judgment.

"You are hereby deemed a traitor. You are now an exile, and no longer allowed to enter Demacia. If any Demacian sees you, they are under orders to kill you on sight. No one may utter your name again without punishment. Out of respect to your limited service I will allow you to return to Noxus unharmed this one time. For your sake of your life you better never leave its walls." Jarvan says coldly. Back rigid Jarvan storms out of the room weapon straight at his side. Shyvana gives her a dark look before leaving the room. As Xin walks past her, back also straight she reaches out to grab his arm.

"Do not touch me. I had hoped that your weren't being serious with that letter...but now I know the truth. I hope I never see your face again. Out of respect for our brief friendship I will grant you a swift death." Xin tells her curtly. His eyes are cold and unyielding. Lux holds back a sob as her friend walks past her without looking back. A gentle hand rests on her shoulder.

"Forgive him Lux. You forced him to chose between you and Jarvan. His loyalty to Jarvan is unshakable. He may not be able to show it, but he will regret this parting. You're choosing a hard path to follow. I hope for your sake you don't waver from its path, because you can't go back. No matter what my Prince says, we are still friends. I hope one day we can meet again like we have in the past. Good day Lux, I hope you find happiness with this path." Shauna tells her with a sad smile. With a gentle squeeze, her last friend turns and leaves the room. Lux feels her heart grow heavy. I knew that it might have ended this way with Xin or Shauna...but...it still hurts. It hurts bad. Glad that no one is here to see her, Lux breaks down and starts to sob. Hours later the tears stop. Making sure she is presentable, Lux decides to head back to Noxus.

Unable to face anyone, Lux goes invisible as she enters Noxus. Slowly she walks through the city, taking note of it. Forcing herself to remember why Noxus isn't any worse than Demacia. That people are just people, and that it doesn't matter that one of her best friends hates her now. I knew that is was a possible outcome, but I hadn't realized just how much it hurts. I'll need to remember this for future outcomes. As she enters her new home, Lux finds herself wandering into the library. One of the ways she deals with emotional problems is to read a good book. Carefully, Lux wanders through the library looking for a book to read. There are several choices, but none of them seem to fit the right mood. Eventually tucked away in a small corner of the library is a section of books dedicated to fairy tales, folk lore, and the such. Choosing a book on Yordle legends, Lux tucks herself into a chair and starts to read.

Surprising Yordle legends are very interesting. Their view on the world is vastly different from humans, and their stories reflect this. One would think that their stories would all be fluff and happiness, but instead most of them are bloody and ruthless. Some of the stories are even more gruesome then things she's found in books about Noxus. Amazingly Yordles used to be live in large nomadic colonies all over Runeterra, and various legends reflect this. Sadly, as the stories progress you can see the effect of other races pushing them out of their homes. No wonder most of them hide in Bandle City. One thing that is the same throughout all the stories is the strong sense of kinship. Yordles are big on community. Before she can read much further a hand goes between her and the book. Carefully marking her place, Darius pulls the book out of her hand.

"You missed dinner." He says simply. Darius is already out of his armor and looking at her a bit bemused at her bookworm behavior. Lux smiles a bit on the inside at his concern. As she watches his face, his emotions subtlety change.

"Someone has made you cry. Tell me who, and my axe will have a conversation with them." Darius says in a perfectly normal tone of voice. Lux knows, however, that he is serious and someone will probably lose their head if she answers wrongly.

"Don't worry about it. I just went to the Institute of War. I learned some things that made me a bit sad inside. Let's just say it would be in my best interest to not to return to Demacia anytime in the near future." Lux reassures him with a neutral tone of voice. Darius's eyes get a deadly look in them and Lux shudders to think at what that would mean to someone in his way.

"If you need to leave to Noxus and return to Demacia for any reason, I'll go with you. I'll 'convince' Draven to come with, and bring some of my best men. No one will force you to do anything. Don't worry about it. You're safe anywhere as long as you're with me." Darius tells her seriously before kissing her forehead. This time a large genuine smile crosses her face.

"Thank you. I'm fine on my own, however, no need to worry about my safety." Lux tells him. No need to tell him about my exile. I wouldn't want him slaughtering innocent Demacians. He'll happily eliminate anyone who threatens me, and if that includes every Demacian...best keep him in the dark. Realizing that her body is rather stiff from holding still for a long period of time Lux stretches out her stiff muscles.

As her arms reach above her head, her stomach lets out a growl reminding her that it has been several hours since her last meal. Darius gives her another smile before helping her out of the chair. Gently he nudges her towards a dinner on one the tables. Also on the table is the all familiar chess game. It is a meal for two, and a simple one at that. Nothing fancy about it, but the ingredients are quality. Just a vegetable soup, a salad, and some fruit. Instead of apple cider to drink there is tea. She's never had this flavor of tea before, but again it is a delight.

"You have excellent taste in tea. I've never had such delightful teas before. And I thought that Shauna had a great selection." Lux tells him with a smile. Darius just gives her a pleased look that quickly shifts into a smug look.

"Good to know you enjoy quality tea. Unlike the barbarian that is my brother. He wouldn't know quality drinks to save his life unless it is some sort of alcohol." Darius explains as he sips his tea. They enjoy each other's company in silence before starting their game of chess. Once again Lux uses the technique of showing her cleavage to get an advantage. Again this works for a bit before Darius growls and reaches across the table to gentle massage her breasts.

"If we ever want to complete a game of chess, you've got to stop doing that..." Darius growls at her before standing and stalking over to her. Soon enough she finds herself held in his arms as his hands start to wander.

"Who says I wanted to finish that game of chess? These are games...are...ah...just...mmm! enjoyable..." Lux gasps out as he starts to make love to her.

Again the next morning as Lux drifts out of her pleasant slumber Darius is gone. Rolling over her hands grasp the empty air where he should be. I should be expecting this. He's a general, he has a lot of work to do in a day. It wouldn't surprise me he leaves for work early and comes home late. Considerably less sore today, Lux gets ready for the day. By now, more her wardrobe has arrived.

All of her clothing is just as lavish and expensive as the first set. Quality silks, satins, cotton, lace and other fabrics make up her clothing. Most of her clothing has either gold or silver thread, small gemstones, or pearls woven in. All of her clothing makes her feel like a princess. Lux has a large selection of clothing to chose from. Dresses of sorts, skirts, pants, shorts, shirts, vests, tunics, socks, under garments and shoes of all types. Lux isn't certain who picked out the colors of her clothing, but all of them look good on her. Finally deciding on a powder blue skirt with lots of ruffles, white cling top, and socks with lace with dainty white sandals, Lux heads down to breakfast. Shortly after a delicious breakfast of thick waffles with real strawberries, thick whipped cream, with sides of bacon and eggs Draven arrives.

"You look lovely my number one fan! Your appearance will only look greater with me by your side. Come now, Draven has work for you." Draven says with a lazy drawl. A grin grows wider on his face at her surprised and confused look.

"The hell, Draven?" Lux mutters out confused. Nervously she eyeballs her brother-in-law. Draven is sneaky, and surely his plans for her won't be exactly be pleasant. He does nothing that doesn't help himself, and he isn't afraid to be ruthless to stay famous. I really should have expected this! Now I'll need to adjust my chess board, and plan on this in the future.

"Surely you didn't think that Draven's one hundred percent approval came free did you? I have plans for you. Plans that will make Draven, and by extension Noxus, shine bright! Enough standing around, we have places to be." With that said, Draven loops one of his arms around her waist and practically drags her outside.

As Draven struts around downtown, Lux follows quietly by his side. Carefully she notes everyone's reactions. Some people seem to give her warmer looks, while most others still give her harsh glares. Eventually after Draven parades her throughout most of the heavily populated areas of Noxus, he leads her into the arena. Instead of taking her to the platform, he leads her back to area reserved for special effects.

"Draven's shows are so important that I need at least five magicians to get the minimum effects needed. However, I know that you are a very talented ordinary mage with several spells at your disposal. I figure that if you come to all of my performances and handle the special effects I won't need to pay five mages. With your grateful help, Draven can free up five mages for Noxus! As a thank you, Draven will use him humble skills to managed your public relations propaganda." Draven tells her with a knowing smile. Lux eyeballs him thoughtfully.

Several thoughts run through her head quickly, causing her to adjust her chess board several times looking at different angles. I really don't want to watch him torture people for sport. But...if I do as he asks, he can help me cement in my position. I really can be useful...but at what cost to my soul? Unconsciously Lux nibbles on her lower lip. After a couple minutes of careful thought, she decides to agree with his plan.

"Very well Draven. How can I make your performances better? What do these mages do?" Lux answers him with a small agreeable smile. Draven gives her a huge smile in return.

"I'm so glad that you agree with Draven's greatness. These are what they do..." Draven tells her with a pleased tone. After a few minutes Lux mentally calculates the amount of work it'll take to do this. Sure enough she can replace all five mages, plus add in some additional effects. It'll take up a fair chunk of magic to do so, but she needs a way to burn off all calories from her meals.

"I can do all of those, plus I have some ideas that will make it better. For example I can add in a large viewing screen so that more people can admire your work. I can add illusions to your axes so that when they spin an image of your face is on them. I might be able to do something to add more color to your fireworks...hmmm..." Lux tells him thoughtfully. Yes, I can do all of that. If I put into place some preset spells it'll take off some of the magic strain. I'll need plenty of magic in reserve. A deeper concern fills her. Something that only a few people know about, and the fewer that know the better. No one can learn that I can't use offensive spells without my light wand. I don't know how to use any nonmagical weapons, so I'm pretty much defenseless in a fight. My safety is completely dependent on Darius's reputation. Fuck! I should recruite Draven's reputation for my safety for the time being as well. More plans.

"Perfect! Draven is very pleased with your contributions. Can you do all of these things from a distance? Like say, from a chair next to me? I want people to admire me with you as my doting assistant." Draven tells her with an excited tone of voice. Lux just winces inside at his use of her.

"Yes, I can. But can we keep my power level understated? I don't want people asking me too much for other magic so much that I can't help you anymore..." Lux explains hopefully giving Draven a sly look. I have to stay underestimated as long as possible. The longer I stay under the radar, the better I can cement in my position as someone who doesn't need to be removed silently. Once Swain and LeBlanc can't remove me easily, then I can show more powerful magic. Draven gives her an equally understanding and sly look back.

"Of course! Draven always keeps his best assets hidden until the proper moment. Improves my mystique. Now, come! Listen to my greatness as I explain how I explain your propaganda. We must continue to show my adoring public that you're worthy of my attention. As a bonus, we'll increase Darius's reputation as well. With some carefully worded posters Draven can show you off. Remind the public how much your conquest snubs the Demacians. Remind them at your being here shows how strong we are. Shows off to the public about my always outstanding selection of friends. Now that we have that settled, you get the honor of having pictures taken with Draven! You're going to look two hundred percent better. Come after our photo shoot I will treat you to lunch..." Draven informs her. Again she finds herself dragged out of the building by Draven.

Once more she is paraded around downtown next to him. After another awful round of being shown off, Draven leads her into a private studio set aside just from him. With some hour long touch ups from his own personal makeup crew, she finds herself looking 'worthy' of Draven's photos. What seems like forever, Draven decides they are done. Finally he treats her to late lunch. By now she is tired and hungry, so the strange food he feeds her tastes good. There are still a lot of questionable foods in Noxus Lux isn't certain she wants to try. Finally she is able to escape from his devoting attention. A huge sigh of relief escapes her once she manages to get back to her new home. All of the servants knew she went out with Draven, and they all give her looks full of sympathy. Quietly she retires to the library to finish her book. Unlike before, Lux vows to not lose track of time. After getting a rough estimate of when Darius is due back, Lux sets a magical timer.

As her timer goes off, Lux heads towards the dining room. This is time she is ready for a hot meal before Darius comes home. Greeting her husband with a hug and kiss as he walks in for dinner, Lux enjoys his pleased chuckle. For dinner this time they are having some sort of meat, vegetable, and sauce filled pastry topped with melted cheese.

"How was your day?" Darius asks between bites.

"I spent it with Draven." Lux tells him making a disgusted face. Darius raises an eyebrow at her before continuing to eat.

"He's going to help me with some public relations, and I'm going to help him with his shows. Not the most pleasant prospect but it'll be useful for my plans for the future." Lux says with a faint sigh. I really don't want to attend those 'shows', but right now I don't have a choice. As soon as I find a way out of it though, I'm getting out!

"You willing spent the day with my brother? Ugh! I know some fun two person activities to help ease your pain." Darius tells her with a smug look. Again, her best friend forever, the full body blush returns.

"I'm sure you do. Tonight though, I'd play some games of chess before we move onto other activities. I need the mental exercise. I won't cheat tonight." Lux tells him firmly. Darius lets out a sad sigh.

"But I like it when you cheat." Darius says morosely. He raises his eyebrows at her, giving her a hopeful look.

"No." Lux says firmly. She narrows her eyes at his fake sad look. After glaring at him for a few moments Darius sighs and shrugs his shoulders in defeat.

"Very well. I could use some mental exercise myself. Why don't you tell me about the book you're reading?" Darius inquires politely. As their dinner winds to end the two of them discuss the book. Lux values his input on the movement against Yordles.

Apparently he's read some books on the 'proper eradication' techniques against them while in boot camp. Noxus is notorious for their attitude against non-humans. They harbor a very deep hatred for Yordles. Something about their cheerful sense of kinship and community seem like a blemish on Runeterra. Darius explains to her that if the Noxian High Command had an affordable means to get over the Sablestone Mountains, they'd go on a crusade to rid the world of them. Ever since the formation of the League Noxus views on other races has shifted. The introduction of how just dangerous the "nasty beasts" are a serious investigation went into a campaign against them. Before Noxus just had a deep dislike of most other races. Now that they have more direct interaction, the views have shifted more towards open hatred. Anyone who isn't human is a nuisance, and even then most people who aren't Noxian's are a nuisance. Darius quickly assures her that she isn't a nuisance and is more like a Noxian then a Demacian.

Lux just smiles at him, and continues to listen Darius talk about Noxus politics in regards to other races. After learning about her exile, his words about her not being very Demacian cut deep. All of her life Lux has considered herself a Demacian. Even after her exile, she considered herself one just without contact to her home city-state. Now, now she wonders just how different her world is. How different she is. I thought Noxians and Demacians are a lot alike. That we just need a little more understanding to get along like friends. Am I wrong about that? What else could I have calculated wrong? Despite her inner turmoil, Lux keeps an attentive ear on Darius's conversation.

With a firm mental shove she pushes those thoughts out of her head. Her path is set, now she must make the best of it. Darius is a critical part of her future plans and listening to him a key part of it. Until recently Lux hasn't had a lot of insight to Noxus inner politics. Darius is directly tied into them, and has lots of interesting things to tell her. Before, all of her information about their politics came from third parties. Listening to a Noxian talk about them, with a deep passion, gives her a different, more unique view. A part of her is adding and shifting her mental chess board while he talks.

All of the conversation about politics widens her knowledge of the inner system of Noxus. Every tidbit about how things work effect and influence her game. Earlier her chess board had just been player pieces, now it starts to take on shape of the landscape as well. Every so often Lux asks Darius some question to clarify something he tells her. Her husband is more than happy to explain things to her. Something Lux has never told anyone is a byproduct of her mental chess board is how much she learns how to destroy a city from the inside out.

After reading so many books about tactics, histories, and battles she gained the concepts of how a city works, and how to undo the backbones that holds cities together in her mind. Not that she ever wants to take down a city! It is just a side effect of being intelligent, well read and bored. With what Darius has told her, her basic knowledge from her work as a spy, and general observations Lux could put the city state of Noxus into a complete state of civil disarray with some hard work. Oh, she can do the same for Demacia, only it would take a lot more hard work. I don't think I should let anyone know that a mental hobby of mine is how to destroy a city from the inside out. Still, such thoughts are just flights of fancy. A mental hobby to keep her mind sharp. I wonder...do all tacticians think like I do? No matter! Those are thoughts for another day. Without any verbal communication the Lux and Darius both head into the library for some games of chess.

Sure enough, Lux doesn't use her cleavage for an advantage. The two of them enjoy the simple pleasure of challenging their mental equal in battle. Their play styles are different. As far as Lux can tell, Darius views the game as a battlefield, and is very aggressive in his offense. However, Lux views the game on a wider scale and is a bit more cautious in her approach. Although she wins most games, he never lets her win them easily. Every game is a fierce battle for victory. A thrill of pleasure runs through her at every game. To her delight, and slight dismay, Darius wins the last game. Sure, the sex is amazing, but the sheer challenge of wits is wonderful!

"Enjoy yourself?" Darius whispers in her ear as they cuddle in bed together later that evening.

"Yes, the games of chess were very thrilling." Lux tells him seriously. At his groan, she realizes he was asking about the sex following the chess games.

"Oh! Um! The sex is great too. It's just that I love mental challenges...and you're a thrilling opponent. Believe it or not, our games of chess bring me great pleasure." Lux reassures him.

"That is good to know. I am glad that I can pleasure my wife in all things." Darius teases her with a soft kiss on her shoulder.

"It is one of the reasons why I love you." Lux whispers softly. Darius holds her close his breath brushing gently against her skin.

"Good." He tells her. A ting part of her saddens that he doesn't return her confession of love. However, she understands. It isn't expected that the Hand of Noxus be well versed in admitting any emotional attachments. Still, a part of her still cries out for the verbal confirmation. I love him for who he is, and he'll never be adept at admitting his love for me. I just need to understand and accept this. Snuggling close against him, Lux falls asleep shortly after he does. To her delight, he is there when she wakes up. Life is good! I can face any challenge as long as I'm by his side.


	13. ABLADD13

Lux really, really doesn't like being an assistant for Draven's performances. The sheer raw joy people enjoying another person's torment sickens her. Oh, Draven is a master of his craft. How often does he imply that the person actually has a chance at freedom? Every time he offers his victims a small ray of hope. Every time the person believes in this hope. Despite the fact that no one has escaped Draven's axes, he still manages to install the promise of freedom into those before him. He's clever about timing the axes too. Not every ax kills a person in the same place. A lot of the time he lets people nearly escape, but snipes away their life within the last inches of freedom. Occasionally to please the crowd he kills them nearly instantly. Lux isn't sure how he judges the timing of his slaughter, but every time it drives the crowd wild. Somehow she feels it is tied into how the person reacts to his manipulation.

When she first learned of Draven's rise to fame from afar, she didn't realize just how ruthless he was about it. There is more to being a famous entertainer then just merely killing people off for sport. Draven is just as smart as her Darius, but he focuses his brains into some more sinister, more selfish reasons. Sure enough, her ideas on how to improve his performances worked marvelously. Just add a wee bit of flare here, some enhanced lighting there, and making his axes stand out more does wonders. It doesn't look possible at first, but her small improvements increases the number of attendees to his shows.

True to his word, Draven works very hard on promoting her popularity through propaganda. Between his rising popularity from her efforts, his influence over getting people to accept her grows. If it wasn't for the fact that people had to die gruesome deaths Lux would be fine with this cycle. Alas, that is not the case. Another sad, sad thing about being Draven's assistant is he gets a say in her wardrobe. Every show she has to match him. Oh, her clothes are still quality. However, she changes in and out of them as quickly as possible. As in she uses magic to do so just about instantly. It is shortly after one of Draven's more successful shows that Lux walks back home slowly deep in thought.

Living here is harder then she first imagined, and it isn't just the culture shock. She still isn't use to more questionable foods, ruthless dealings, and interesting clothing choices. However, that isn't just her main problem. For the longest time she pretended to be dependent on others to survive. For the first time, she actually is. Going from suddenly having the option of being completely independent to forced reliance hurts her pride. As much as she loves Darius, she literally can't live without him right now. One of the alluring thoughts of moving in with him was freedom. Instead, she finds herself caged in new ways. In Demacia, she was relatively safe because of her status. Here she isn't. She isn't a citizen. Despite being married to the Hand of Noxus, she is reliant on his reputation to stay alive. Sure, Darius can go berserk and start beheading people if she gets hurt or killed, but it is that threat alone that keeps her alive. Without citizenship, she has no rights. No protection. And without her light wand she really can't defend herself in a fight. If anyone here found out the truth...well, no one can find out. Not even Darius. Once she can earn her citizenship, then she become more independent.

However, earning citizenship isn't exactly easy. To become a recognized citizen of Noxus, she has to be both feared and respected. As a former Demacian, that makes things difficult. If she becomes too dangerous then she is seen as a national threat and will be terminated, married to Darius or not. Once she becomes an asset to Noxus, then she can work out getting respected and feared in her own way. Alas, the only way she could think of rapidly becoming acceptable in Noxus is being the 'Conquest' of the Hand of Noxus. However, this puts her position in an delicate position of being harmless in order to sneak under the radar. Hopefully with Draven's help, she can build up the PR to be a minor celebrity figure. The sooner the better!

Once, once she is a public figure she can't just disappear, or get hurt without backlash from the public. Ruthless population or not, Noxians take pride in their stability. The two Queens here, Swain and LeBlanc, are both watching her carefully. Lux isn't certain what they want from her, but it isn't good. It wouldn't take much effort on either of their parts to cause her to disappear and suddenly stop being a problem. Who cares if the General Darius gets upset that his new bride dies young? Sure, he'll be mad and some people will die but life will go on. However, if a celebrity disappears, then it becomes a problem. And with Draven's help, she is becoming a celebrity. 'Hey, look our new celebrity is actually dangerous! Isn't that awesome? We always knew she could be one of us' is a fine status to reach. At the moment she is, 'Hey look that Demacian Darius stole away is actually dangerous. Let's kill her before she becomes a threat to us.' So, for now, she literally has to cling to Darius until she reaches a status of safety on her own terms.

I married him because I love him! I want to be his equal, his partner. Until I become a citizen I can't do that. I love it when a plan comes together, however, sometimes things make the plans go astray. I will make this work. I will earn and keep my King. I'm in this to win! And if I have to play pretend for a bit longer, I will. And once I earn my own safety, I will prove to myself, to the Noxians, to everyone in power that they can't get rid of me! I am not weak. Just because I'm not lethal like most powerful mages doesn't mean I'm not dangerous. Strength above all is the rule of them here. I will be rise strong enough to crave a rightful place here! I just need to find a way to do so without killing anyone.

I think I need to start branching out my chess board. I'm running partially blind here. Perhaps once I get more information of this place I can work towards being more respected! Something that bugs her every day is her lack of information. After being tapped into Demacia's covert information database for years, being without constant vital information is driving her batty.

However, there is a deeper more pressing concern then just a lack of data. There is a darkness lurking in the city. The faint scent of foul black magic clings to certain parts of the city like a disease. Without more knowledge Lux can't find the source of the problem. Once she finds the source, she can fix it. That brings her back to the original problem. How in the world will she get the needed information to solve the problem? If she can solve the problem she'll become more respected...damn this cycle I'm stuck in!

Suddenly the sounds of a young child in distress reach her ears. At the corner of the street a younger child is begging for help. Desperately begging for help. Unable to determine the gender of the child, just the dire plight they are in. I have to help them!

Once she reaches the child, they actually reach out and grab her dress trying to grab her attention. However, the child recognizes her as important due to her expensive clothes, and how dirty they just made her expensive clothes. Tears already falling, they suddenly burst into louder sobs.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I just need help! My sister has been injured! I can pay for the healing...it isn't much...but please! I'll do anything...please...please...please..." They beg. A long time ago she remembers a similar situation. This time she can help without worrying about more serious consequences.

"Shh, shh! Calm down. I'll help. Now where is she?" Lux reassures the young child. Rubbing their dirty hands across their stained face leaves behind smudgy trails of grime, but their relieved smile makes them look adorable.

"T-this way." The young child tells her. Without realizing it, the young child grabs a hold of her hand and leads her towards a small end street.

Leaning against wall is a young girl roughly thirteen in age. A large slash wound is covering most of her stomach. Lux can already tell the wound will be fatal if she doesn't act fast. The girl is holding her left hand across her tummy, eyes glazed over with pain.

"Emmi! Emmi, I brought help. You'll be okay. You have to be okay." The younger child says desperately.

"Serra, I told you to g-g-give up. W-w-we can't a-a-afford a healer." Emmi whimpers.

"You can afford me. I'll accept payments that aren't gold." Lux tells her firmly.

Ignoring the blood stains getting all over her clothes Lux gently rests her hand over the girls stomach. Focusing on the wound itself, Lux analyzes where the damage is concentrated. Thankfully the wound is a clean cut. It barely missed vital organs, but without the wound getting closed soon she'll bleed to death. Carefully Lux relocates all of the dirt and grime from the wound to the nearby street. Who cares if the dirty street gets dirtier? This isn't Demacia. Once the wound is clean, Lux starts the healing process. As much as she would like the process to be one of her relatively pain free healings, she knows that won't fit her needs. By using the basic Noxian healing spell she stole so long ago she'll pass off a reasonable trade agreement for someone this poor. Unlike Darius, the young girl whimpers in pain as the wound sizzles shut. Lux ignores the burning sensation she feels in her fingers. Inspecting the wound again, Lux feels satisfied with her results. The girl will be fine.

"There you go. All put back together. Now to discuss payment." Lux tells them seriously.

The younger sister, Serra looks at her hopefully. Ah, the hopeful innocence of the very young. I'll keep her as innocent as long as I can. Emmi, the older of the two gives her a fearful look. Hard times on the streets already gives her a jaded outlook. Fear for her sisters safety appears to be her primary concern. Before she can soothe Emmi's fears, Serra hands Lux three gold coins, one shiny pebble, and a small glass bead bracelet.

"Here. This is all the gold I own. Plus my two most valuable treasures. Emmi's worth more than them." Serra tells her very seriously. Emmi just kind of gaps at her.

"Serra! You can't be serious! Those items are..." Emmi says upset. Lux simply hands the items back to Serra. Time to see if this plan actually works...

"No, I'm not interested in items. I want information. If you each give me a secret I'll call the healing paid for." Lux tells them with a dead serious face. Inside, she is very nervous. So many ways this could go wrong. But in order to win sometimes you need to take calculated risks.

"Why would you want some secrets from people like us?" Emmi says warily, eyes dangerously narrow.

"I'm new here and I know nothing. So anything new is useful and..." Before Lux can finish her sentence Serra speaks up all excited.

"You're Luxanna! Draven's new assistant. You're married to General Darius. You're famous and...and... I-I-I got you dirty." Serra says gradually breaking again down into tears at the dirty, bloody state of Lux's expensive clothing. Emmi's eyes just go very, very wide. Equal bits fear and awe fill her gaze.

"Yes, I am all of those things. And I am dirty. But watch this..." Lux says with a smug tone of voice. Rapidly snapping her fingers twice Lux works her magic. The first snap removes the blood and dirt. Following the second snap both of the girls clothing becomes clean, and Emmi's shirt gets repaired.

"I am merely an ordinary mage. I know a lot of little useful spells. Knowledge is power, right? When you tell me a secret I gain knowledge I can keep forever. You get a onetime healing and are clean for a little while. I get more practice for my magic for future perfection. I'm getting the better end of the deal, you see? I need to become stronger, and as things stand..." Lux tells them with a shrug of her shoulders. As she calculated both girls get knowing and understanding looks in their eyes. Now she is speaking their language.

"Yeah. We can totally pay you in full. What kind of secrets do you want?" Emmi asks seriously. This is formal business. An exchange of power for power, and must be treated with due respect. Lux remembers the look in both girl's eyes for future reference.

"I want your best ones. I'm going to press my finger against your forehead. Think your secrets very, very hard. My spell will collect them from you. That way I learn your secret, but no one else does. No freebies. Completely painless." Lux explains voice very low. Both girls give her wide eyed looks of awe. First Lux presses her right index finger against Emmi's forehead. A flood of information goes through her, and Lux carefully collects it.

"That is a good secret. Your turn Serra." Lux says seriously. Serra leans her head forward eyes wide. Again Lux presses her right index finger against the forehead. Once more information floods through. Just as carefully Lux collects and stores the information for later.

"That is also a good secret. You have both paid me in full. It would be helpful if you spread around the word that I'll trade small spell uses for secrets. I can do all kinds of little things, and I'd like to learn all kinds of secrets. They are my secrets however. Not even Darius will learn them. I don't want to share my power." Lux explains. Both girls nod their heads in understanding.

"We can do that." Emmi says earnestly. Both girls give her looks of complete respect.

"Excellent! I will be on my way then. I walk this way every time after my job with Draven. Just have someone find me here." Lux tells them with a knowledgeable nod of her head.

Inside her relief, joy, and smugness reign. I think this might just work! I'll get my information, get new Pawns, and earn respect in Noxus. Now that one of her more pressing problems is probably solved Lux feels very good. With a small wave in their direction, Lux gets up and leaves.

There is one little thing she doesn't mention about the spell. It is a small mind reading spell. Absolutely painless, however, it doesn't collect the secret they think they're giving you. It collects the most pressing secret they have. That is why she asks them to think very, very hard. This gives her spell better access into their minds. Normally such a spell wouldn't work very well, if at all, however, with the sheer amount of raw power funneling into the spell achieves the result Lux wants. Hopefully people who will be wary of her will be tricked into thinking she is too kind. No one who understands the finer aspects of spell mechanics knows her ability to force the spell into usefulness. While she gathers hidden knowledge, people who would actually care about the spell will dismiss it as foolishness. Perfect! I'll see if this works out in the next couple of weeks. Part of the fun is setting a new plan into motion. With a slightly larger bounce in her step and whistle coming off her lips Lux heads home in a better mood. As Lux approaches her home, she notices that Samsin is waiting at the gate looking very serious.

"My Lady Luxanna, you have a visitor." Samsin tells her gravely.

"Oh? I didn't think Katarina is coming over anytime soon." Lux replies reflective. Who would want to visit me?

"She isn't Mistress Katarina. Apparently she hails from Demacia. She insisted to see you right away, in private." Samsin tells her. Who from Demacia in their right mind would come to Noxus t to kill me?! I'm at home so I should be safe.

"Very well. I will see my visitor in private. Would you kindly wait outside the door, Samsin?" Lux asks as she heads inside following behind Samsin.

"Of course Lady Luxanna." Samsin tells her. Quickly he leads to one of the smaller private rooms on the first floor. Nodding her head in recognition Lux enters the room. Her mouth drops down in surprise at her guest.

"L-L-Landra?! The hell?! Why are you here! You serve the Crownguard family. You have no business following me all the way here. I insist you return at once." Lux commands indigent. As glad as she is to see a familiar face, the implications of Landra being here scares her.

"M-My Lady Luxanna I've purposefully choose to serve you. I've cut all ties in Demacia. If you send me away I'll have nowhere else to go." Landra informs her hesitantly. A weak, fearful smiles crosses her face. Lux groans inside at the equally scared and hopeful look on Landra's face.

"Why?" Lux just asks defeated. I can't send Landra out on her own. What'll I do now?

"My Lady Luxanna, things have changed in the Crownguards family. I have no desire to serve them any longer. Things are changing in Demacia. You've always treated me well. I've brought news and my belongings. Please let me stay. I'll explain everything..." Landra inquires hopefully.

"Very well. I'll see what I can do about getting you a job here. Come, have a seat and tell me everything." Lux tells Landra slowly. Darius said I can have anything I wanted...hiring Landra is now one of the things I want.

"My Lady Luxanna when news of your actions reached Demacia there was some chaos. Your father, Lord Crownguard, was ranting and raving about you trying to stir up trouble. He talked with Prince Jarvan. I know not what they said, only that it was bad. There was a decree that anyone who spoke your name would be punished severely. Several of the servants, notably the Kinsly and the Burnswycks families, refused to comply. They couldn't believe that you would do such things. Both of their families, all of them from baby to senior, chanted your name in protest in the streets. They tried to rally the people to you, to provide you a home to return to. L-lord Crownguard had their entire families, plus the most vocal of your loyal subjects jailed. Three days later the entire group of them were executed for high treason. Thirty-seven innocent people killed because they loved you my Lady Luxanna. I refuse to stay in a place that denies compassion to innocent bystanders who act out of love." Landra tells her. With each sentence her voice grows softer, and more sorrowful.

Lux just sits there in shock. She knew that there would be people upset at her leaving, but never in her worst scenarios were people killed because of her. The Burnswycks and Kinsly families were good people. Loyal people. People who selfishly served her family, and Demacia, for as long as the records go back. All of them, people who trusted her, and believed in her dead. All because she left them for Darius. I-I-I...oh...no...what have I done?! Tears spring up in her eyes. Sobs escape her throat as the news sinks into her like a rock dropping into a deep well. Taking a deep breath, Lux shoves back the sobs and regains her composure.

"P-Please don't cry my Lady Luxanna. You wouldn't have chosen this path without a good reason. You'll never needlessly put Demacians in danger. That is why I came here. To serve you. Because you're a good person. I know you'll treat me fairly. I'll be safe here because you look out for your people. You wouldn't do anything to harm me." Landra tells her with passion. Tears are also leaking out of her eyes. Lux looks at Landra and sees the unconditional trust. I can't let her down. And I won't! I won't fail anymore Demacians. No more innocent people will die because of my actions.

"I've a got a job for you in mind. I'm sure Darius has some carriages you can drive. Have you eaten recently?" Lux tells her reassuringly.

"I haven't eaten in a couple days. Anything would be welcome my Lady Luxanna. I-I'd rather not drive a carriage. I have training in how to be a maid. I'd like to be your private maid. Please?" Landra tells her, voice growing more hesitant. It is well known in Demacia that Lux had servants, but refuses any private or personal maids.

"Of course you can be my private maid Landra! I'll talk with Darius once he gets home. Let me get you something to eat. Samsin!" Lux yells out. Promptly the door opens and Samsin gives her a polite bow.

"Would you please come here for a moment? I'm hiring Landra to my personal maid. She served me before I came here. She has the training. It has been some time since she last had a meal. Would you please bring us something eat? I'll have a light lunch, while Landra needs something more substantial." Lux says. Keeping her voice firm, even and in control Lux gives these commands. Before now, she's always politely asked for things. However, in this case, she's giving orders. She wants Landra as her servant, she will be firm about it to all parties involved.

"Gladly my Lady Luxanna. I will have her belongings sent up to her room immediately. I'll have the seamstress start making her uniforms right away. She is welcome in this household, but Lord Darius will determine the finer details of her contract. Such as wages, time off, and the like. I will have him notified before he comes home." Samsin tells her firmly. He doesn't question he right to hire a maid, but he leaves the decision of money exchange to his Master. Smart man.

"Thank you Samsin. We'll eat in the main dining room. You're dismissed." Lux tells him glad that her hiring a maid went so smoothly.

"Very well my Lady Luxanna. Your meal shall be waiting for you when you reach the dining hall." Samsin tells her gravely. After his customary bow, Samsin turns and leaves.

"My Lady Luxanna...you have that much control over General Darius's household staff? You couldn't even do that back in Demacia! I've only heard rumors of what you're doing here...I never imagined...how..." Landra whispers voice trailing off in shock.

"Come on. I'll explain more while we eat." Lux reassures her. Standing up, Lux leads her new maid out of the private meeting room and into the dining room.

Sure to his word, Samsin has a simple meal waiting for her, and a larger meal for Landra. Ready to drink is her favorite kind of hot apple tea. There are several small meat and cheese sandwiches, cheese slices, crackers, small plates full of fresh carrots, celery, broccoli, and olives wait on the side. Two small dishes of dipping sauce are next to the vegetables. Next to her light lunch is a hearty soup, wheat rolls, a mug of thick juice, and an apple. Landra eyeballs the food greedily, however, she eats slowly and ladylike. As Landra eats without speaking, Lux explains her reason for being here while eating much slower.

"I'm here because I married him out of love. I'm here because I chose too, not because I'm forced to." Lux says simply. Landra stops eating and just stares at her. It is a bit amusing, and saddening at the same time to watch multiple emotions flash through her servants eyes. However, Landra is a professional servant and she doesn't voice any of her doubts on her mistresses choices. I can get her to see that Darius is a good husband. I just need enough time. Before she can finish eating her light lunch Darius walks into the room. Lux's eyes light up at the sight of him. It is a rare delight to see him home early. I thought he had matches scheduled all day? No matter! He's home. Quickly getting to her feet Lux walks over to Darius and greets him with a hug and kiss. Darius chuckles with amusement and kisses her back.

"I was informed that you hired personal staff? Where is she?" Darius says seriously. Lux hears serious tone of voice, but she smiles wide at the warm look in his eyes.

"Yes, here she is. Landra this is my husband, Lord Darius." Lux says formally, turning to face Landra. To her delight, Landra is standing at attention. Landra's eyes are focused at a point just above Darius's shoulder. There is the standard neutral look of a professional servant on her face.

"A pleasure to work for you Lord Darius." Landra says with a pleasant tone of voice giving him a deep bow.

"I see. My wife is allowed to hire her own staff. You will paid the standard pay for a professional maid. I will need you to sign the traditional contract. Is this acceptable to you?" Darius says seriously.

"Gladly my Lord Darius." Landra says equally seriously without pause.

"You're not going to question the standard pay for someone of your profession? Things are handled very differently in Noxus then your cushy Demacia." Darius asks eyes boring straight into Landra.

"My Lord Darius, I am not here for the pay. I am here to serve my Lady Luxanna. I have served her, and her family my entire life. I know no other profession, nor do wish I learn any other." Landra says back voice still staying neutral.

"Very well. I will have Samsin get you a contract to sign. Your raises will be determined the quality of your service to my wife. If you came all this way just for her, I'm sure you will do fine. You will not like the consequences if you fail her, understand?" Darius says seriously, standing at his full height looking down at her eyes hard. Lux is impressed that Landra doesn't back down at her husband's intimidating glare. She'll be fine here. If she doesn't back down from Darius, she'll manage.

"Do not worry my Lord Darius. I would rather die than fail my Lady Luxanna." Landra says back still firm.

"Excellent. Lux, I have paperwork I need to finish. I'll be in my study, and I'll be eating dinner there alone. We'll talk after dinner during our games of chess." Darius tells her still serious sounding. Before he leaves he gives her a light kiss on the temple. Lux gives him a loving smile in return, just watching him walk back of the dinner hall. Darius is well gone Landra lets out a huge sigh of relief.

"My Lady Luxanna surely he isn't as scary as the rumors make out to him. He must really like you to act like this." Landra says relieved looking.

"Yes, Landra, he does really like me. However, do not underestimate those rumors. My husband rightfully earned his reputation as the ruthless Hand of Noxus. If I didn't have the utmost faith in your service as my maid, I wouldn't have accepted your request. Darius can be rather...unpleasant if displeased." Lux tells Landra with a grave tone of voice. I'd rather not need to scare her, but she has to understand that the job can actually be dangerous. I'll keep her safe and alive, but she can't think that this is risk free. Landra gives her a scared look back, but the fear is quickly replaced by the professionally neutral look of a professional servant.

"I understand perfectly my Lady Luxanna. I would rather die than fail you, so I am in no danger from the Lord Darius." Landra replies back with a voice slightly shaking.

"Excellent. Now, let's return to eating. You must be starving. And don't worry, I'll help you in case you start to make a mistake he won't like." Lux tells her with a reassuring smile. Making sure that Lux is seated first, Landra sits down. The rest of their meal is eaten in silence. Unlike her silent meals with Darius, this one isn't comfortable. Lux can tell that Landra is nervous of her surroundings. Poor girl! I hope she adjusts soon. But then again, I haven't exactly adjusted either. The blind leading the blind.

Lux will finish her lunch before Landra, however, she slows down her eating process. Landra will stop eating and start attending her every need once she finishes with her meal. Satisfied at the full meal her new servant has eaten, she stands up and prepares to give a tour. The tour is brief. By the time she is done, Samsin arrives with a contract and a basic uniform. Both of them are informed that Landra's room is in a small servants area at the top of the servants hallway. It won't take long for Landra to wake up and serve her all day. Shortly after Lux finishes her tour, Samsin takes Landra on a fuller tour including the finer details tucked away for servants.

By the time Landra returns, Lux smiles. Someone already found a presentable looking maids outfit for Landra. Despite her being forewarned, seeing a Crownguard servant in Darius's Noxian colors jars her. Nothing about it seems right. Perhaps it just years of static stacking against her bias. Although her face is still professionally neutral in subtle ways Landra expresses her discomfort as well. However, once Landra spots Lux, she can see her new servant visually relax.

"My Lady Luxanna, I am ready for you." Landra tells her with a pleased sounding tone of voice.

"Excellent. Landra, your orders are such, you are to be by my side at all times unless instructed otherwise. The only people you should follow orders from are myself, Darius, Samsin, and any official Noxian leaders. You are to obey no one else." Lux informs her. Landra nods her head in understanding.

It feels a bit awkward to have someone trailing behind her, however, Lux knows she'll just have to adjust. This isn't about her comfort anymore, other people depend on her now. That is something she really never realized while in Demacia. As nobility, people actually depend on her for things. Despite the fact that she was a simpleton, and unable to do her full functions as a noble, people still depended on her. They were part of the little responsibilities she knew she had, but couldn't remember. Now she knows! Although she can't actively help her former servants in Demacia, she can remedy that here. Landra is now her responsibility, and by the same token, so is the rest of Darius's staff. No one else needs to die because of my ignorance.

Today is the day Lux refreshes her static spells in the household. All it takes is a small replacement of magic on the spells and they are good to go for another three days. As she approaches the first of the listening spells she pauses thoughtfully. Just the other day, reports from her searching spells arrived. With the exception of three of the spells, all of the owners had been found. All of them trace back to various noble houses. Nibbling thoughtfully on her bottom lip, Lux considers her options. If she can do a little bit of a reversal spells on the ones here, she can listen in to the other end of the spell! However, that takes a bit more active magic. She'll need to refresh the listening spells daily. It'll take more work, but for her extra efforts she can start collecting conversations from other places! Perfect! This'll work out nicely.

Closing her eyes, Lux brushes her magic against all of the listening spells. With the exception of three listening spells, Lux slowly and carefully reverses the flow of the magic. Now she is collecting sound from the other end. In order to help keep herself sane, Lux sets aside a small spell to collect the things heard instead of the noise coming directly to her all the time. Every night when she refreshes the spells, she'll collect the information gathered. Pleased with her work, Lux turns her attention to the last three spells. The three of them are quality work. Very powerful, very subtle, and very dangerous. Lux doesn't even risk a tracking spell on them. However made these put into place protective spells. They'll know if she starts to trace them. Instead, all she manages to do is add a filter to keep out the important information. By the time she finishes with the listening spells it is time for dinner.

With Darius working in the study, Lux is glad for Landra's company. Unless they need her for something directly, none of Darius's servants talk to her. Oh, they'll attend to her every need but they won't strike up a conversation. Even though she was fairly isolated back in Demacia, she still had frequent conversations with Shauna, Xin, or a few other servants she knew well. Here, the only person she feels comfortable talking freely with is Darius. I thought I was fairly lonely in Demacia, but now I know better. But! No! I refuse to think such thoughts! I'm here free from my family. Free to be with the man I love. Just because everything isn't perfect doesn't mean I'm miserable. After the disastrous news Lux heard from Landra, having a pleasant normal conversation is soothing.

But now that Landra is here things can change a bit. It doesn't take as much effort as Lux thought it would be to have Landra start conversing freely with her. Apparently Landra is very lonely here, and also needs a trusted friend to talk to. Careful to not mention any of the negative issues that happened in Demacia the two of them discuss little things. After a short while the two of them chattering together like old friends. It isn't just the little things they talk about, but they both talk about some girly issues. Pausing briefly, Lux checks the time. Oh! Time to play chess with Darius.

"Landra, I am going to retire for the evening. You are free to spend your time as you wish." Lux tells Landra politely getting up and heading towards her room.

"Yes my Lady Luxanna. Thank you my Lady." Landra replies back, voice returning to neutral after being rather excited during their friendly talk.

After using so many spells in the day, Lux is fairly exhausted. Without paying too much attention as she walks into her room she finds herself hitting a solid wall of a person and bouncing off. Again, before she can fall a familiar pair of strong arms catch her. The hell?! I thought we were done with that nonsense!

"Oof! You did that on purpose." Lux says with a growl. Not that she minds touching him, but the sudden solid surprise trip towards the floor isn't as pleasant. Her eyes narrow even further at his innocent look. It has been a long, emotional exhausting day. Lux doesn't have the patience to deal with Darius's rogue playfulness right now. Without a playful return smile, Lux gets out of his embrace and stalks over to the chess game. Hey eyes narrow thoughtfully at the chess game before her. Instead of thinking about the news from Demacia, Lux tries to further push away the negative thoughts. This doesn't work very well. Before she can get comfortable a firm hand grasps her shoulder stopping her.

"You're upset. Did the new maid say something to disturb you?" Darius asks voice calm and reasonable.

"Yes! No. Ugh! It's complicated. She brought news from Demacia that is upsetting. It isn't her fault, so you don't need to harm her. She's my responsibility don't hurt her." Lux says harsh, voice breaking.

Tears threaten to leak out of her eyes. After the all the stress from today her composure is starting to break. Showing a sign of weakness here is dangerous - both for herself and Darius. Breaking into body shaking sobs doesn't show a lot of strength. Still tears start to fall despite her best efforts. Darius just lets a deep sigh and gently scoops her up in his arms. He carries her over to the bed and sits down on it, still holding her close.

No words are spoken, he just holds her as she cries. Feeling safe enough to cry freely, Lux just sobs in his arms. Before, when she held emotions back in Demacia things were easier. When your heart and soul is completely numb, there isn't a hold of extreme emotion to keep in check. Every since Sona healed her, she's had a harder time keeping her stronger emotions under control. Not once she has made her home in Noxus has she cried. Finally all the stress, changes, and rough emotions catch up to her. Although Darius says nothing, his very presence calms her down. Finally the tears stop and she just rests against him.

"Now that your tears are over. Who does my ax need to speak with? I think I owe someone a lengthy conversation about how to treat you." Darius tells her completely serious. Lux smiles a bit. Trust the odd twists of fate for her to find comfort in a man who'll happy murder someone for her happiness.

"You'll need to chop off my head then. Landra brought me news from Demacia...people I grew up, people who trusted me...died because of me. If I hadn't come here thirty-seven people would still be alive. It's all my fault they're dead." Lux whispers sadly. If she had anymore tears to shed, she would. Darius lets out a very deep sigh.

"You are not responsible for anyone's death. Explain what happened." Darius asks her seriously. Gently he reaches across her chest and lifts her head up to look him in the eyes. As Lux tells him, Darius remains completely silent. Once or twice he kisses her temple, but he doesn't interrupt. As her story ends Darius remains silent for a few more minutes afterwards.

"Lux, it is not your fault they died. You did not force them to protest. You did not force them to defend you. You did not round them up like cattle. You were not the who made the law to have them killed. Your hand did cause the execution. Nothing that happened is your fault. The ones who need to be punished are you father, and Prince Jarvan. Tomorrow I will look into some of my best assassins." Darius informs her reassuringly. Lux knows he isn't joking about the assassins.

"Darius, as tempting as it would be to kill my father that way, I won't let you. You can't solve all your problems by killing them. Prince Jarvan may be a bit extreme in this case, but he is still a good ruler. Just because I'm upset at some people dying unjustly means I have the right to go around killing people. I'll be fine. I'm a tactician. I'll make a plan. And if I need help with it, I'll ask you first." Lux tells him with a smile. Between being held, his calming words, and just having someone to talk to helps her calm down to a manageable level. I will make a plan. I will deal with my father and Jarvan. They will be stopped! Darius gives her a light kiss on the lips.

"I know some very enjoyable activities two people can do together to help burn off stress..." Darius asks with a suggestive tone of voice.

"Why, yes I would love to play some chess with you. Here, put me down. The chess board is waiting lonely." Lux tells him with a sly smile. Darius gives her an annoyed look before setting her down. With a bit of stretch Lux walks over to the table holding the chess game.

"You did that on purpose." Darius growls annoyed.

But he gives her a smile nonetheless. Soon enough the two of them are engrossed in their chess games. The first two games Lux wins, but on the third one she starts to have a harder time. A sudden sly thought crosses her mind. Just as Darius ponders his next move Lux leans over the board showing her cleavage. A growing smirk crosses her face at his slightly stunned expression and as he misplaces his rook.

"You did that on purpose." Darius growls again, but instead of sounding annoyed he sounds pleased.

"Mhmm." Lux replies back giving him the Look. Soon enough their game of chess is left behind for other stress relieving activities two people can do together.

Later that evening Darius snores softly, his breath warm against her neck. Still unable to fall asleep right away, Lux gently shifts through the secrets she gathered earlier today. Serra's secret is simple and innocent enough; the three gold pieces she had was saving up for a surprise gift for Emmi. Emmi's secret on the other is a bit more useful. One of the more powerful nobles, Lady Nanci Vinja, runs one of the customs gates. Packages that are supposed to be coming in are mysteriously being delayed longer than normal. Although it isn't much, she has something to build her information network on. Where have I heard that name before? I'll more into it tomorrow. Snuggling just a bit closer to Darius, Lux finally manages to drift off to sleep thoughts of future chess pieces shifting through her dreams.


	14. ABLADD 14

It takes three days for her plan to start working. On her way home from the horrible experience she calls a job, a small child around ten years in age approaches her. This child is in better shape than Emmi and Serra, but not by much. Lux can tell this child is a little girl by her faded pink dress. Unable to determine if this child is an orphan or just from a very poor family Lux gets ready for her plan to take place. Once again she ignores the dirt stains she gets on her clothes as she kneels down to the little girls eye level.

"You know the deal?" Lux asks serious. The little girl just nods her head. Squinting her eyes tightly shut, the young child leans her forehead forward. Without even asking what she needs done Lux gathers the information. Once the secret is secure, the little girl holds out a toy. It is a small, battered tin soldier. One of the arms has fallen off, and it is in pretty sad shape.

"You want me to repair this?" Lux inquires, studying the toy intently. The young girl just nods her head still silent. Covering both hands over the toy, Lux starts to repair the tin soldier. Not only does she reattach the arm, Lux removes all the dents and scratches. Quickly she repairs the paint job. By the time she is done, the toy looks like new. Solemnly Lux hands the little girl her toy. As the little girl looks at her toy, her eyes go impossibly wide.

"It would be useful if you could spread around the word about my agreement. Can you do that for me?" Lux ask softly. Still silent, the young girl gives her very passionate nods of her head.

"Excellent now if you excuse me..." Lux starts to say before the little girl grabs her hand.

Firmly, the little girl starts to lead her towards a small tavern near the end of the street. Wary, but curious, Lux allows herself to be lead. Landra follows behind her, silent. As they approach the tavern, Lux notices a small alleyway between the tavern and the main street. Waiting for her at the entrance to the alley is a moderate sized group of children, of all ages. With a wide grin the little girl holds up the tin soldier. One of the oldest children takes hold of it and inspects it carefully before passing it on. Lux gives the children an even eyed look completely calm. Parts of her shaking inside. The implications of having this many children waiting for her are vast. I had hoped to get a small group of children giving me secrets, but this looks like it could be huge. I love it when a plan comes together! A murmur ripples through the group as the tin soldier passes around. The oldest child, almost a young man, holds out his hand to shake. Lux reaches over and shakes it. Her eyes look directly into his. A crooked smile crosses the young man's face.

"S'names Madness. I'm the leader for this gang. We heard that you gotta business offer for me and my gang?" Madness says politely.

"I do have an offer. But the offer is open everyone, not just your gang. I am not a resource to hog. You have secrets, I have magic. I'll trade you spells for information. As you've seen completely painless process." Lux tells them calmly. Madness is giving her a calculating look, which she returns while raising one eyebrow.

"Fair 'nough. What kinda spells can you do? And what kinda secrets do you want?" Madness asks all professional. This is formal business, and must be treated with respect.

"There is very little I can't do on the small level. I can heal most wounds, I can find lost objects, I can repair most things, I can get just about anything clean, I can duplicate some items, and I can replication spells on things like water bottles. Three days for unlimited fresh, clean water. Or health pots. I can do a lot things, I just need to see the problem first. As to what I want for information, I want the good kind. The useful kind. The kind that'll make me strong. I'll take all secrets, but for the better spells you'll need better information. Knowledge is power, and I'm a powerful mage. My best spells won't be cheap." Lux says simply. Madness gives her a thoughtful look.

"Sounds like good business to me. I can always respect a good information broker. All of us here have something that needs done, and we all have secrets to trade. We get a feel for your magic, you get a feel for our information. This works out, we'll do more business in the future. Deal?" Madness said firmly. With a strange look in his eyes, he spits on his left hand and holds it out to her. Not missing a beat, Lux spits on her hand then shakes his. A faint nod of respect crosses his face at her not being squeamish.

"Who's first?" Lux inquires. A young boy walks up to her, and holds out a cut hand. It has started to get infected.

"Secret first, magic second." Lux says firmly. The boy nods his head before leaning forward. Once her secret is collected, Lux leans back and heals the boys hand.

"If anyone tries giving me the same secret twice, or a lie, I will know it. And you will not like my response." Lux warns them before the next child approaches her. As if her words open a floodgate, a surge of needy children surround her. Completely losing track of time, Lux works and gathers secrets. At some point where Lux thinks she's finished helping the group of child, more seem to appear. Exhaustion starts to flood her.

"Okay. Enough. I need to get going. My husband will wonder why I'm late." Lux tells them firmly, hiding the fact that she is getting really tired from using so much magic. Standing up, she stretches her back working out the cramps. To her surprise, the sun is setting and the first fingers of twilight sneaking across the landscape. How long have I been doing this?! It was early morning when I started...geez. More than merely exhausted, her head aches from all the flood of information. How many kids have I helped? How much do I know now?

"My Lady Luxanna, will you be able to reach the manor on your own? Or do I need to fetch a carriage?" Landra asks her politely.

"I'll be fine on my own Landra. I have a flask with me, I'll just drink some and be fine. I'll be going to bed early though." Lux reassures her. Reaching into her purse Lux pulls out a flask, and starts to drink. As the mana and health potions slide down her throat Lux feels a lot better.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you miss Luxanna. Can you meet up here in three days? We'll have some more information for you by then. Some of the really good kind." Madness tells her formally. His eyes give her a look of utmost respect. She worked a long hard day without showing any weakness.

"A pleasure indeed. Remember, I am not a resource to be hogged. I want as much power as possible, and one gang can only provide so much. I will see you in three days. Good day Madness." Lux tells him politely.

Refusing to show any weakness at how tired all her magic use makes her, Lux walks back home back straight. To her relief, Darius is having a late day in the office. One of the last things she needs is to have Darius be concerned about her rise to power. He's a good husband, but he can a bit over protective at times. No need to let him worry about her working too hard. It is possible to die from magic overuse, but there isn't any secret worth her life. After eating large meal by herself, Lux goes to bed.

As wakefulness fills her groggy mind, a familiar presence is beside her. Darius is sound asleep, holding her close to him. Hm? Usually he goes into work by now. With a little effort Lux manages to turn around and rest her head against his chest. As she starts to get comfortable Darius shifts his body weight as well. Suddenly going from cuddling next to him, Lux finds herself pinned directly under him. A familiar hot gaze stares into her. Oh my!

"Good morning, miss me last night?" Lux tells him with a faint smile. Darius just smiles at her, his grin getting rather predatory. It takes take much movement on his part for Lux to find out which parts of him are excited to see her this morning. Her all familiar companion, the full body blush, returns in force. By this time, however, the blush is equal parts embarrassment and arousal.

"You went to bed before I came home. I had to eat dinner all by my lonesome. I had no gorgeous wife to enjoy my evening with." Darius tells her with a fake sigh.

"Um, sorry I..." Before Lux can finish her sentence Darius kisses her fiercely. A low moan of pleasure escapes her throat at his efforts.

"Well, now that we're both awake, I can help fix your loneliness Darius..." Lux tells him with a pleased purr. A bit later a very content Lux curls up against Darius.

"Next time you disappear out in Noxus doing business please warn me, or Samsin that you'll be out late working hard. It was concerning coming home to find my lovely wife passed out cold from magical exhaustion. I need to know if you'll be okay on your own." Darius tells her very seriously. Darius is looking her directly in her eyes, completely focused on her. I need to be careful what I tell him or he may not let me do this anymore.

"I'll be fine! You worry too much. I was mingling with the local orphan population learning their stories and such. There are more of them to help then I had anticipated. Next time I'll be much more careful. You know I'm a sucker for orphan's in need." Lux reassures him with a loving smile. All Darius does is let out a deep sigh before he starts to roll out of bed to get ready for his day.

"I can't say much against your helping orphaned Noxians. The last time you did so, it had very good effects for my brother and I. I can't complain about your end results. Just be more careful. I'd hate to have go around slaughtering children for putting you in needless danger." Darius tells her with a shrug. Lux's blood goes cold at his matter of fact tone of voice. I know he's ruthless, but that includes being cold towards children?

"Darius, brute force doesn't solve all problems. Killing anyone in your way isn't always the solution." Lux tells him harshly. A large part of her is unsettled about learning this new, darker side to her husband. All he does is shrug at her.

"Lux, in Noxus that is the way it is. The sooner you learn that the better. Take care. I'll be home very late tonight. Don't wait up for me. " Darius tells indifferently before he heads out the door.

Lux curls up under the blankets a bit in shock. Sure, she's always known that Darius is ruthless, and will go to extreme lengths to see to her safety. But it never dawned on her that he would slaughter innocent people for her. All the times he's threatened people for her, they had a decent reason for his ire. Attacking children because she helped too many of them at a time is different. A cold pit of fear sinks into her. Now she'll need to be extra careful about her business. Not all secrets are safe to know, and she'll need to be prepared to fight on her own. I need to look into getting another light wand. Where in the world would I find one, however? Mine was an ancient relic in Demacia. There aren't any existing blueprints for it left. Damn it! Another problem in my plans. A firm mental shove gets her negative thoughts out of her head.

Today is a relatively free day for her. Draven has no shows for her to attend, so her entire day is open. A large chunk of her plan is taken care of, getting a hold of information. Now it is time to process the information she has gotten. After having Samsin fetch her the materials to make a spell book, Lux curls up in the library ready to work. Tasking Landra with keeping her undisturbed, and to bring her lunch and dinner Lux gets to work. Carefully Lux transcripts all of the raw information she gathered into the book. Once it is all laid out, she starts to draw diagrams showing how things are related to each other. Unsurprisingly, there is a lot of political intrigue. Nothing really stands out, the usual smuggling rings, drug dealers, and the like. However, there is something that stands out as odd. All of the nobles are stratified into layers of who supports whom. That isn't unusual, what stands out is who is connected to who.

A lot of the hard core military nobility, such as the Du Couteau's are against Swain's rule. A lot of the older mages, ancient nobility houses, and various emissaries surrounding Swain are his biggest supporters. With the exception of Darius, and his men, no one strong in the military stands with Swain. If it weren't for Darius, Lux doesn't think Swain would be in power right now. Uncertain exactly what seems off about Swain, but her instincts scream at her that Swain is dangerous. Not just dangerous to her, and Darius, but to the general public in general. Although not much of a public figure LeBlanc is always close behind Swain. The two of them are plotting something sinister. What though? A familiar name, Nanci Vinja, is constant in her information. Swain and LeBlanc are the Queens, yet Nanci is dangerous herself. Probably a Rook or Bishop. Carefully assigning her a spot on her chessboard Lux pauses her thinking. Before she can resume thinking there is a polite knock on the door. Landra has brought her dinner. It is a simple, yet tasty, meal.

After collecting all of her secrets into organized flow charts of loose connections Lux closes her spell book. Careful to put a powerful magical lock on it, Lux leans back and thinks. I need more information. But at least I now know who to focus on. Pleased with her work for the day, Lux decides to retire to bed. By the time Lux wakes up the next morning Darius has already left for work. One of her hands curls up in a ball where he normally sleeps beside her. Sometime is wrong in your city, Darius. I may not like Noxus myself, but for you I will solve this problem.

The next day Lux prepares for her day working with the local children. Depending on what needs to be healed, or duplicated, or replenished, she'll need some basic supplies. Bandages, lotion, bottles, potions, and so much more are required. It takes all day for her day to prepare for her business meeting with Madness and his gang. It isn't hard getting low amounts of said supplies, but with some of them she needs a decent quantity. Early the next morning, Lux tasks Landra with carrying her supplies. Draven's performance is nothing outstanding, so she is stuck working late. If Draven doesn't get the response he wants, he works for it being a complete asshole to his employees in the process. It is much later in the afternoon that Lux and Landra start their walk towards the small alleyway.

"My Lady Lux this place is barbaric! The people here eat all parts of an animal - the brains, tongue, feet, eyes, blood, etc. Their favorite past time is watching people get slaughtered. People are ruthless to one another. There is no justice system...how could you be happy here? You don't spend the entire day with my Lord Darius. Surely there must be other options for you..." Landra asks. By now the two of them better friends, and Landra speaks her mind freely. Although extremely devoted to her, Landra is miserable here. Everything is alien to her, and she hasn't made any other friends. Lux isn't certain what she can do about Landra's unhappiness, but she'll try to think up something. Waiting for her at the entrance to the Alleyway is Madness, and another older child. This one is a girl, who is missing an eye. Short messy blond hair almost covers the scars over her eye, but not quite enough to keep it discreet.

"Oy. Madness here speaks for you. Says you're a miracle worker with spells and the like. I have some kids that need healing. My gang can offer you information on the lower level smuggling rings." The young girl says, her voice gruff.

"That would be useful, yes. Madness, I brought supplies with me this time, to help make things easier. I need you, and your gang, to gather as much information as you can on Swain, LeBlanc, Nanci Vinja, and their businesses." Lux tells them calmly. The entire group of kids goes silent thinking. This is dangerous business, giving up information on the heart of the underworld of Noxus.

"We can help you out there. But only 'cause I know your spells are worth it. You saved three lives last we talked. My gang is my family, we owes you. I can't speak for Janyt here, but I can get you information on Nanci." Madness tells her slowly, obviously thinking hard.

"If you prove yourself today, my gang can get you information on the underside of Noxus. We have contacts all the down to bottom most level of the city. LeBlanc's fingerprints can sometimes be found there. Rarely though. She's clever that one. She's got her fingers in all the pies, but no one has any direct evidence." Janyt tells her with a sneer.

"Deal. Bring your kids to me. I'll prove you that I can pay for your secrets." Lux replies with a faint smug.

Again the remainder of her afternoon flies past. Although she isn't exhausted like she was before, she still is tired. There is an agreement that she gathers information every third day in that particular spot. However, if there is a dire medical emergency, they can reach her at her home. For a hefty price of course. After the long trek back home, Lux arrives just in time. She gives Samsin the heads up about her helping the poor orphans, but they'll only contact her if it is dire. All he does is shake his head at her, but accepts her orders.

Barely missing Darius arrival home, she settles into the dining room and waits for him. The two of them enjoy a quiet dinner together. Their night is simple and enjoyable. They discuss a book Lux recently started to read while playing chess. At the end of the games of chess, things turn delightfully naughty just like the two of them love.

Thankfully Lux's days fall into a pattern. Similar to her time during the League of Legends, different days are assigned for different tasks. Most of her evenings, and one morning a week is spent entirely with Darius. Several late mornings in to the afternoon is dedicated to improving Draven's shows. When she isn't trading spells for knowledge, Lux dedicates the time deciphering the information she is given. Not only does Lux get thoughts with each secret, she gets emotional impacts, scents, and sights with the really strong emotional secrets. After a while, her heart goes numb at the cruelty these children face every day.

All of them have seen murder, disease, rape, and theft. How many lives have they been forced to watch dwindle away in front of them? All of them know loss. That is part of the reason why they stick in such tight gangs. They're the only family they can trust. There are a few poor family children mixed in the gang, but they're not as active. All of them information of some sort. The very youngest have mostly innocent secrets. Once the kids reach around the age of eight or so, they start to see the worst of the city. It pains her that she is getting information from people who got it as such a high cost. However, the information they give her is priceless. It takes some magic to make her spell book larger on the inside then it is on the outside, but Lux documents everything.  
The sights, sounds, emotions, locations, everything is recorded in her book. Along with each secret is her own commentary on how it is related to other pieces. It is amazing how connected the city is, both in physical and magical sense. All it would take is some carefully placed arcane bombs, and the fluid in the moats could flood the entire lower sections of the city. Magic and hextech work together to have power and magic move between levels. Everything rides on a core center of magic in the very center of the city. And to her horror, it would appear that someone is interesting in destroying the core of this magic railway. If anything were to happen to that core, the entire lower city would shut down. The elevators, magic enforced stairways, and communication lines would be cut. As much as she would like to take this problem straight to Darius she has one minor problem. How can she approach him with the issue? All of his authority is over the military, not the inner city mechanics. Darius keeps his distance from the politics of the inner city as much as possible.

To her best knowledge, the main person behind this scheme is LeBlanc but for reasons Lux can't understand. Why would one of the most important people in the city want to cause needless death and chaos? She already has everything she could need, and she doesn't appear to want anything. Getting information on LeBlanc is hard. Very, very kids know anything about her business. And LeBlanc's tracks are covered by careful interactions from Swain. Swain knows that his city will be plunged into dark and chaos, and he is backing it entirely. Time to have a conversation with Darius about this. Luckily for her Darius only has League of Legend matches today, and they end early in the afternoon. I'll ask him during the games of chess.

When Darius comes home, he has a smirk on his face. This pleases Lux. The better mood he is in, the easier it'll be to pass on, and gather the information she needs. Lux refuses to use sex to manipulate Darius. She loves him, and people in love don't use sex to get control. Finding out about Swain from Darius alters her methods of how to get what she wants. Oh, moving around her chess pieces isn't a problem. However, Darius isn't one of her pieces, he is partner. No shoving Darius around her chess board. She can nudge him gently, but using sex to get her end result isn't a gentle nudge to her. As he walks in the door Lux bounces over to him and greets him with a hug and a kiss.

"How was the Institute today? How many killing sprees did you have?" Lux asks him with a smile. Darius is very passionate about his achievements in battle, and he likes to tell her about them. Well, brag to her about him. He doesn't need to say anything to impress her, but she knows he enjoys it when she admires him. Admiring him isn't hard, so she listens with full attention to his day. To his great pleasure he got a pentakill against some Demacian Champions. He doesn't mention the exact Demacian Champions he slaughtered in the fields of Justice. It seems a bit sweet to her that he brags about defeating the people who outcast her, but tries to spare her feelings if he took out any of her former friends. How is it that a man who will kill children without pause or remorse be so sweet to me? No matter! I love him. I won't love him any less because of that. I may not approve of it, but I won't love him any less.

Tonight's dinner is unusually delicious. There is thin fillets of veal covered with a rich sauce. Fresh salads, vegetables, and sauces are all around. A slow cooked soup is served on the side. Fresh, hot steaming rolls are next to the soup. Pieces of sweet cream butter, pure golden clover honey, sugar, sea salt, and coarse black pepper are all ready for her to enjoy. For desert there is some sort of lemon soufflé. The two of them enjoy the meal while giving each other small talk. Talking about the weather, basic news from the military, and the latest champion additions to the League. There isn't much new to learn about. Apparently there is hype about a new champ, a Yordle by the name of Gnar. Once dinner wraps up, the two of them head upstairs for their alone time together. Lux hasn't started reading a new book yet, so the topic of conversation is a bit more open tonight.

"Darius, I heard some interesting things today about Swain do you think that..." Before she can finish her sentence Darius lets out a snarl.

"No. I will not hear it!" Darius growls voice getting loud. Lux just blinks in surprise at his tone of voice.

"But I heard...I thought that..." Again before Lux can finish her lines of thought Darius suddenly stands up, hands slamming down on the table. He hits the table with such force that the pieces are knocked off the board.

"Shut up! Swain is a great leader. He is doing nothing wrong or suspicious. I am giving him my full backing. Anyone who disagrees with Swain's rule is saying treason against my word. Do not talk to this rumor mongering bastard anymore!" Darius shouts. His face isn't red with rage, but his eyes do have a dangerous glint to them. Lux swallows a lump of fear in her throat. Oh shit. Her job just got a lot harder.

"Of course, you're right. I won't talk to the person doubting Swain again. You wouldn't give your approval without good reason. Sorry if it seems like I doubted you." Lux says softly. Giving him a small smile she waits for him to calm down at her implied accusations.

"I have other business to attend. You should go to bed now, I'll be back later. Do not wait up for me." Darius says coldly before stalking out of the room.

As Lux watches Darius storm out of their room she stays put with shock. Unbeknownst to her, tears start to fall from her eyes. The two of them have never fought before. Not once has Darius ever raised his voice at her in anger. His rash reaction hurts. How can I ask him for help if he refuses to learn about the problem? What will he do if he finds out that I'm plotting against Swain's plan? I have to stop LeBlanc and Swain...I guess I'll just have to betray him on some level. I know that he loves Noxus, and wants Noxus to rise. However, if Swain gets his way, this won't happen. I'm sorry Darius that things have to be this way. Without much thought Lux puts away the chess pieces and board. Although he told her not to wait up for him, Lux refuses to fall asleep until he gets back. To her utter dismay he doesn't return that night. As the early morning sun creeps into their room, Lux starts to sob. Gradually her tears fade. I have to stop Swain. I can't do it alone. But I can't ask Darius for help. Time to gather more chess pieces. I need to start paying Katarina and Talon social calls.


	15. ABLADD15

Lux wakes up unusually early. The sun hasn't even risen. Darius holds her close his warm breath brushing against her neck. Normally Darius wakes up before her. Most mornings he has work to do, and is gone before she wakes up. Today should be one of those days, but she woke up before him. However, she has been getting less sleep recently. She has yet to have her social call with Katarina, but getting that done is being more urgent. Dark whispers, rumors, secrets scream of foul magic brewing in the center of Noxus. Lux needs allies, she needs help. However, the darkness appears to be tied to LeBlanc and Swain. Therefore, Darius's help isn't an option with this dilemma.

Ever since their argument things have been tense between the two of them. Darius is very agitated, and reacts with anger quickly. Although they two of them haven't had come to words yet, it seems like they will soon. The primary problem is a lack of communication. After Darius made it clear his feelings about any resistance towards Swain, Lux has been afraid to mention the topic again. Since that particular topic is almost always foremost in her mind, she is constantly stressing about it. Things are coming to a head, and she isn't nearly ready enough!

Yet, every time Darius asks what is wrong, she tells him the lie, 'nothing that concerns you!' At that point he turns red and storms out slamming the door behind him. Things are so tense between them that they don't even have their nightly chess games. Once this problem is resolved, things can go back to normal. We will have a fun nights together, our chess games, and the easy smiles. The sooner I get this done, the better! I don't want to lie to him, but I don't want to upset him that his wife is plotting against his most staunch ally. No more doubts! I will fix this! I will fix this...I will make a plan...somehow...

Gently she places a sleeping spell on Darius. He's a light sleeper, it doesn't take much to shake him out a deep slumber. And Lux doesn't want to wake him up earlier then he needs. His job is important, he needs as much sleep that he can get. I better go brood someplace where I won't disturb his slumber. Carefully Lux eases out from under his arm. Once she is free of his embrace she silently gets out of bed making as little noise as possible. After a quick go through of her wardrobe, she puts on a simple, comfortable outfit. Quickly she writes a note before heading out. Once the door is shut quietly behind her, and Lux is well down the hallway, does she lift the sleeping spell. Briefly she pauses at Landra's door slipping her note under the door. Now that she has some more privacy for her business does Lux head out into the city.

A bitter chill coats the city. Small traces of morning fog cling to the darker corners of the city. Very few people wander the streets at this hour. Most of the people who do have their shoulders hunched, and refuse to make eye contact. For her safety, Lux goes invisible. No need to court trouble. Lux is reasonably certain that she is safe from harm, but she'd rather not risk it. Briefly she stops at a stall selling hot drinks, and hot meal pies for those who get off work late. The food she gets isn't anywhere near the quality she gets at home, but it is filling.

Aimlessly she wanders the city, trying to clear her mind. Trying to think up a plan. A plan to save the city, to bring back the close relationship she had with Darius. Nothing comes to mind. There are so many variables, so many unknowns, so much that could wrong...finding the best way is difficult. There is so much at stake, she is hesitant to make the wrong move. So far, she can't even find a decent calculated risk. Just as the sun starts to rise on the horizon a young man approaches her.

"Excuse me, Lady Luxanna?" A young man asks her with a nervous look on his face.

Lux recognizes him from various secrets. His name is Larson D'Nombre, and he is a notorious card shark. No one is able to cheat him at any card game, yet he can cheat anyone who challenges him. He runs a local gambling ring, and he has earned, and deserves a high level of respect.

"Yes, Mr. D'Nombre?" Lux replies politely. Larson's eyes raise high at her use of his name without him giving it to her, but he doesn't back down.

"There are rumors, I mean I've heard...that you're a healer for hire. That you'll trade some serious healing for secrets. I've got a fair share on the secret market. My wife is pregnant and she needs help...I was wondering if we could work out a deal?" Larson asks tentatively. The longer he talks, the more firm he gets in tone. At first his look is filled with desperation, but as he talks the familiar talk of business helps calm him down.

"I might be able to help, I might not. It depends on what I need to do. You willing to pay my asking prices? A lot things can go wrong with pregnancies, and it isn't my specialty. Why haven't you asked for a midwife?" Lux tells him seriously.

"I cheated the midwife's husband, she refuses to help me..." Larson admits sadly.

Inside, she feels mixed emotions. This is a golden opportunity to make contacts with Noxians beyond just the orphaned. However, she wasn't lying about the not knowing much about pregnancy. Lux has read enough to know the basics, and she knows a spell that will help analyze the problem, but actually fixing the problem is something else. By accepting this assignment, I'm putting lives on the line. This is a calculated risk that I can't afford to fail. The of two of nod heads in understanding. Business has been accepted, and now the gritty details happen. Lux follows Larson through the twisting streets and up into an apartment complex.

Keeping careful eyes on her surroundings, Lux takes note of everything. These apartments house families with modest income. Most of the stairs are in good repair. Well worn, but maintained granite walls, stand steady. Dirty glass windows are kept closed, curtains blocking out the early morning sunshine. Various patios house chairs and tables, showing a sense of community. People peek out of their doors watching her walk past. Various whispers follow behind her. Eventually she is lead to a small two bedroom apartment. Old chairs of various fashions decorate the room. A chocolate brown coffee table resides in the center of the room. Magical lamps glowing a pale yellow cast out a pale light. Inside the main bedroom are three women. Two of them look to be Larson's sisters, and the third is young and very, very pregnant woman. Labored breathing escapes the young woman's pale face. She is propped up against several plush pillows on a metal frame bed.

Her belly is very large, indicating that she is well along. However, that doesn't concern Lux. Beads of sweat are dripping down the woman's face. Her skin is a pale color, and it is obvious that she is in a lot of pain. Her breathing is pained, and labored. Lux's heart moves with pity. This is a young woman in pain, a woman is who scared for herself and her child, and is at wits end. The poor girl...

"Shhh, let me take a look." Lux says reassuringly. Stepping forward quickly, Lux gently places her hands against the woman's round belly. Carefully shifting through her magic, Lux takes a magical look at what is going on inside. What she sees concerns her.

"You're carrying twins. Both boys. One of them healthy, but the other isn't doing as well. They're resting at a bad angle for birth. As it stands, if you give birth like they are now, it'll kill you, and both unborn children. I don't think I can save them." Lux says with a dull tone of voice. This well beyond her knowledge. She can 'see' what is wrong, but she doesn't know how to fix it! W-what do I do?

"Please! You have to do something! Anything!" Larson pleads, voice desperate. All three women look at her scared.

"I..." Lux stammers trying to think of a plan. To think of anything. This goes beyond just gathering power. After looking at the young family, Lux wants to help them because they're people. They're a young couple who want children, and have almost no options. Saving them is the right thing to do. The just thing to do.

"Bring me a midwife. Bring me one now! I-I-I don't know how to save them, but I have the magic to do so. Bring me someone with the experience, and I'll follow their directions. Hurry! I don't care if the midwife is angry at Larson, I'll handle her later. This woman and her children need help now. NOW GO!" Lux demands. She knows that she doesn't have a lot time to save the young mother and her unborn children.

Larson stands stock still, but one of his sisters darts out the door without looking back. At her loud tone of voice the young woman groans, but gives Lux a small smile. Still keeping her hand on the woman's belly, Lux slowly eases her pain. Afraid of doing something wrong, Lux only does that. Despite her only removing a little bit of the pain, the young girl sighs with relief. Snapping out of shock Larson dashes over to his wife. Slowly he kneels beside the bed takes hold of her hand. Tenderly he massages her hand, trying to give her comfort the only way he knows how. A small, yet loving smile crosses his face. The young woman returns her husband's look of love and adoration. Lux's heart pangs at the sight of their tender love. They're in love, and care deeply for each other. A deep desire to have that loving closeness to Darius returns full force. I will save this woman. I will save Noxus! I will win my future with Darius! We will be happy together again! What seems like an eternity later a harried looking midwife appears.

An older black woman with a huge frown on her face stomps into the room. Dressed simply in brown pants, a patterned brown and blue top, and hair held back with a large blue ribbon. Although the midwife gives Larson a look that could peel paint, her face softens at the scared look on the expecting mothers face.

"So, I was commanded to come here by some fancy mage. Let me see if this mage has the guts and the power to do the job. I will not be pleased if my valuable time is wasted on such a sad excuse of a Noxian." The woman said tartly. Lux's piercing blue gaze locks with the midwife's brown eyes. Neither woman blinks or backs down. Eyes narrowing with determination Lux refuses to be bullied away from her game. From her mission.

"I commanded you. I do have the power and the guts. Enough chit chat, lives are on the line. We do not have time for petty arguments. I do not have the knowledge to save them, hopefully you do. I do have the magic to save them, which you don't. Let's get this done with. You can insult my credentials after the job is done." Lux snarls back.

Time is ticking away from the young mother to be, and Lux doesn't want to lose her and the children. For the longest time she pretended to be meek, and simple to avoid trouble. Lux watched her life go by helplessly while just waiting for the perfect moment of revenge. No more hiding. No more being meek! Now, now she is needed. For the first time in a long while, Lux is needed for a purpose beyond her own. And she will not fail!

"Fine little girl. Let's get to work. Stand aside and tell me what your magic sees. I'll instruct you from there. When you're wrong it'll cost lives." The midwife snaps back.

Lux just glares and places her hands against the young woman's belly and starts to report what her magic sees. After that time blurs together. Harsh instructions start to rain down on her faster and faster. Everything she is told to do must be done swiftly, yet delicately. One false step, and three people die. However, Lux is a master. Despite the hurried pace, the tense environment, and high stakes Lux doesn't hesitate or slow down. It may have been years, but Lux did go through rigorous schooling for remaining calm under pressure. She will not break now! Or ever! Suddenly the instructions stop.

Lux breathes in deeply, then exhales. A loud wailing, followed by a second voice fills the room. Turning around, Lux is greeted with the vision of two young boys alive and well. The midwife is currently getting them clean and wrapping them in small blankets. Tenderly, the midwife hands the young mother one of her sons, then the other. Cradling both of her children in her arms, she looks at Lux eyes full of tears of joy, adoration, and love. Larson strokes his wife's cheeks with one hand glazing at her, and his sons with pure joy. Suddenly he turns his face from his wife's and looks at Lux. Emotions just as strong, and mirroring his wife's stare deep into her. At that moment Lux realizes something. Saving Noxus isn't about Darius anymore. It isn't just securing her future with him. There are people here who deserve a safe place to live. A place to raise their children in safety. Beyond saving the lives of this young woman, and her twin boys, Lux has just invested in their future.

A future they will lose if she fails to save Noxus. This isn't about her happiness anymore, it is about saving thousands of lives. Never before has Lux been in a situation like this before. Before, all of her games have been about personal gain. Now, her game of Chess is beyond just the mere scope of her ambitions. People truly depend on her. The dark taint of dark magic stalking the city, the impending collapse of the magic system, suddenly becomes all too real. Her game has changed, and now she can't go back. Time is running out, and she isn't ready.

"I-I-I need some fresh air. I'll be back!" Lux says in a rush before staggering out the door. Drunk with the realization of her responsibilities drive her outside in a daze.

Once she is outside, Lux leans her back against the wall. Breathing deeply, Lux tries to bring some sort of calm to her shattered thoughts. A deep fear, a real fear of failure, of death and destruction start to fill her chest. Refusing to give into her fear and despair, Lux closes her eyes. Mentally she envisions her Chess Board. As she views it, she changes around the pieces. Now her king isn't just her future with Darius. It is a future for the city of Noxus. Things have changed, and now she has to up her game to the next level. I can't be super careful anymore! I'm running out of time. There are calculated risks that need to be taken, and I have to take them. I can't keep all my pieces safe and alive. People are going to die and I can't save them all. At this point, I need to save as many lives as possible.

"Excuse me, Lady Luxanna?" A voice asks, interrupting her desperate thoughts. Standing beside her is Larson. In his hands is a small glass of water. Gratefully Lux reaches out and takes hold of the glass. Swiftly she downs the water. The cold refreshing fluid slides down her throat. With the intake of water, her thoughts finally settle into a more rational state.

"Yes, Larson?" Lux says.

"You saved her. You saved my little Tina, and my boys. There is nothing I can offer you that will truly pay my debt. Tell me what you want, and I will get it for you." Larson tells her seriously. Lux gives him a small smile. I'm sorry I'm going to do this to you...

"My price for the healing will be steep, and is in several parts. The first part is I want you to teach me everything trick you know on to cheat at cards." Lux replies serious in tone. First part down, now for the second request.

"You want to learn how to cheat at cards?!" Larson gasps out in shock, clearly not expecting that to part of his payment.

"Yes, I want to learn how to cheat at cards. You're one of the best, and I want you to teach me everything you know. The second part is that I have a personal project I need done. I'll need your help getting contacts." Lux informs him with a small smile. She can see the gears going around in his head. Gradually he nods his head and holds out his hand for her to shake.

"You will learn everything I know when it comes to cards. As for contacts, you want them, I'll get them for you. You've gotten the right man in your debt. I've got contacts all over the city! Whatever you need is yours." Larson tells her completely serious. Reaching out with her hand, Lux shakes his firmly.

"Thank you. I have other business to attend to. If you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way." Lux tells him formally. Before she can completely turn around one of Larson's hands grab her arm stopping her.

"Tina and I agree, we're going to name one of our boys after you. Our oldest will be named Luxis, in your honor. Here you can use this to clean up." Larson tells her with a serious look on his face before handing her a rag to wipe off the blood. Lux just stands there in shock. Again the weight of her responsibilities rests hard on her shoulders. Taking the rag from his hand Lux uses it to wipe her arms clean. With a snap of her fingers Lux removes the remaining stains from her clothing.

"Thank you. I'm honored." Lux says simply before turning to leave. As Lux reaches the bottom of the stairwell a gruff voice stops her from behind.

"You did well back there." The midwife says simply.

"Thank you. I just did the magic, you did the real work. I couldn't have saved them without your knowledge." Lux says respectfully. What does she want?

"My name is Susanna. And my boy was right. You're a good one. You said you need contacts? If you help me, I'll also get you contacts." Susanna tells her with a neutral tone of voice.

"Help with what Susanna? How do I know your contacts are worth my time? And why did you come? I thought you refused to help Larson." Lux replies back voice flat. What knowledge can I get from her? I need pieces...will she be a good pawn?

"Oh ho! I like you! You're not some blind Demacian fool. You ask the good questions. I came for you, not that scum Larson. Some time ago you helped one of my boys. Healed up a nasty infection that would have cost him his hand. I'm just a little mage, my magic can't do much. You, you're the real deal! Your magic is the powerful kind. The dangerous kind if used wrongly. Yet, you don't use it for evil as far as I can tell. You're using it for something big, but I don't think it's a bad project. As to how I we can help each other is simple.

"You heal, I get you contacts. There is a lot of bad things happening to my boys, they're getting hurt bad. People all over are getting hurt bad. Hurt with a foul magic I can't heal. That you can heal. I take you to people who need healing the most. You heal them. I get you respectable contacts. Larson does have a lot of contacts, but I can get you the kind on the right side of the law. As one of the main Midwives, I know a lot of people who owe me. People I can get to help you. What do you say, Lux?" Susanna tells her simply.

Lux's mind is spinning with the possibilities. This is a golden opportunity to get what she really needs. She can get more info on the dark magic stalking the city. Even more contacts to figure out exactly what is going on, and how best to stop it. However, she will be involving more pawns. More innocent who could die for her cause. People she can't be certain to save. Yet, if she doesn't get what she needs...Damn it!

"We'll see. I'll follow you around for a bit, seeing what kind of healings you need done, and the kind of contacts I get. But for now, I have other business to attend to. You know my meeting times with the children?" Lux inquires. Susanna nods her once in acknowledgement.

"Meet me there tomorrow. Until then, good day Susanna." Lux says politely before stepping out into the open street.

Here, in Noxus, she needs to be firm. Commanding. People respect strength, and only strength. By now she has earned a bit of a reputation for simple, yet powerful healing magic. She's proven to be a useful assistant to Draven. Despite being a frail Demacian noble, she has watched countless prisoners be executed for sport and not flinch. And, not to be under estimated, is that she is married to General Darius. I've played the meek maiden long enough! I've got a reputation now. People are actively seeking out my healing services, Swain can't just make me vanish without consequence. Now, to prove my own reputation as someone to be obeyed. Head held high, Lux walks through the streets. Out of habit, she observes people's reactions to her.

Unlike when she first arrived, people don't look at her with disgust, smug superiority, and hate. People give her room, and get out of her way. No one looks at her with disgust, even though there are a few glances of distrust. People have heard, and seen, what she can do, and has done for the people of Noxus. That she isn't doing it for free, and that she isn't a pushover. Surely, the people in power may doubt her ability to gather secrets with that spell, but the locals don't have the arcane knowledge to know any better. A quick check of the time shows that she has her daily performance with Draven in about an hour. Mentally shuddering with disgust, Lux starts to head towards the arena. Despite not showing any disgust, revulsion, or horror to Draven's antics, she doesn't like it one bit. To her it is a barbaric activity just to feed his own ego. But then again, Draven is Draven, and this is Noxus. It is a fact she has accepted as part of her life.

As she gets closer to the arena, people grow more friendly towards her. By now she recognizes all the arena regulars and knows them by name. The same goes for the staff. Although at first it wasn't a conscious effort on her part to earn pawns among her fellow staff, she did. Apparently the same respect, and quid pro quo techniques she used in Demacia apply in Noxus. All of the staff she works with have distinct, named pawns on her Chess Board. Most of them move about on her Chess Board by their workplace gossip. Personally most of the gossip they tell her is spiteful garbage, there is the occasional useful gem in there. Gems that have proven useful. Briefly before entering the staff entrance Lux senses a presence behind her. Quickly she turns around to see who has the nerve to sneak up on her that close and she runs into an all familiar solid wall of a person and promptly bounces off. Again, as the routine goes he catches her before she falls flat on her ass.

"Oof! The hell Darius!?" Lux explains in annoyed surprise. By now she more or less knows his daily routine, and that routine does not include ambushing her at work.

"Where have you been?" Darius asks, voice low and mellow. Lux freezes in place. That is his, 'I am seriously pissed off' tone of voice. A tone of voice accompanied by an attitude that deserves the utmost respect and caution.

"I've been wandering around Noxus helping people out. Nothing for you for to be concerned about." Lux says indifferently still annoyed by his ambushing her at work. Surely he could have waited until they were both home to argue! His hands grip her arm tightly, indicating that he is very, very angry.

"It is my concern when my wife goes AWOL. The only way you could have gotten out of bed without me noticing is if you put a spell on me. No one tricks me with magic to get their way." Darius's voice is very soft.

Lux feels a small tremor of fear course through her. She had not anticipated this reaction from him. Her husband is livid. Beyond livid to the best of her knowledge. Lux has never seen Darius this angry before, much less directed at her. However, a familiar irrational anger starts to fill her.

"I didn't mean to trick you like that! I woke up early brooding. I didn't want to wake you by thinking too loudly. So I put you into a deeper slumber while I got of bed. The spell was promptly removed once I was far enough away that I wouldn't wake you. You need your sleep. You have trust me not to do anything stupid! To you or myself!" Lux replies back, her voice equally soft and dangerous.

The two of them look each other in the eye, refusing to back down. Hard dark eyes stare into equally hard blue eyes. However, one of them has to give and it is Lux. Despite wanting to show that she is to be obeyed, showing that she respects and obeys one of the highest commanding officers in Noxus is more important. Still, the fact that Darius is treating her this way galls her pride. Abruptly he releases her arm causing her to almost stumble. Quickly catching her balance. Lux turns away from him and marches into the arena back straight head high. She doesn't look back, but she does hear him snarl in rage. A faint shudder echoes through the frame of the building as Darius hits the wall on his way out.

"What are you looking at?!" Lux snarls at the people who are standing gawking at her. Slowly, but surely, Lux stares down everyone who is still staring at her. Everyone looks away after meeting her livid blue eyes. No one speaks to her for the rest of her shift. Even Draven avoids her.

Once free of the horror that is her job as Draven's assistant, Lux stalks down the city streets. Livid thoughts broil through her brain. Underneath the rage is a harder emotion to handle. Sorrow is resting dangerously below her rage. It never dawned on her that her slipping out of bed unnoticed would upset Darius so much. Not once did she consider his reaction to being into a deeper slumber by a small spell. What kind of wife am I? Why didn't I think of his needs? I thought all I needed to worry about was his needing sleep...Still, Lux keeps her body rigid with rage as the sadness threatens to swallow her instead. She never wanted to hurt Darius in any way. Obviously being spelled hurt his pride, even thought it was for his benefit. It upset him enough to not go to work and hunt her down. It never dawned on me that his love of control would override his need to go into work. Surely my mistake could have been corrected after work? Why is he so upset? Argh! Men! Shaking her head to remove the negative thoughts from her mind, Lux finds herself outside of the Du Couteau estate.

Remembering her need to gather more pawns, Lux smiles inside. Apparently her subconscious knows what is best for her. Politely knocking at the door, Lux waits for someone to arrive. To her surprise, Lux isn't greeted by a servant, but by Katarina herself. Katarina gives her a very, very odd look. A look Lux has never seen before. It actually makes her a bit nervous.

"Good. I was just about to go looking for you. We need to talk. Come in." Katarina tells her briskly. Lux gets an odd feeling. Something is very wrong here. Katarina is acting very out of character.

"Um, yes?" Lux replies a bit surprised.

Katarina leads Lux through an oddly decorated mansion. Instead of statues, paintings, tapestries, or anything of the sort, the place is decorated with weapons. Lots of weapons. Not just daggers, but swords, spears, shields, short swords, brass knuckles, and weapons she didn't know the name of. Lux didn't see any servants, which she also found to be a bit unusual. Another strange thing she noticed is that the place is eerily silent. Other than her footsteps, Lux couldn't hear anything else. Katarina, no surprise was silent on her feet. Eventually Katarina leads her to a small, private room off to the side. Inside the room is plush chairs, a solid wood table with shot glasses and bottle of whiskey, and not much else. Katarina motions for Lux to take a chair. Before Lux can object, Katarina pours her a shot of whiskey.

"I know about your crippling disability." Katarina tells her calmly. Yet, Katarina's green eyes stare deep into her accusingly. Lux fidgets a bit in her chair, growing very nervous. There is only thing Katarina could be referring to, and if Katarina knows...Oh shit!

"I don't know..." Lux tries to bluff her way out of the situation, but Katarina holds up a hand silencing her. From nowhere Katarina pulls out a dagger and shunpo's behind her. Suddenly a blade is pressed against her throat drawing blood.

"Don't bother lying to me. Prove me wrong. Get me off you with magic. Hurt me badly enough that I want to let you go free...no one knows you're here. No one would know that I killed you. The moat will dissolve your body into mush before anyone starts looking for you." Katarina tells her with a deadly confidence.

Lux freezes in place. Uncertain if Katarina is seriously considering killing her, or if this is a test Lux tries to think of a spell. Of anything to escape. However, Katarina is correct. There is very little Lux can do offensively without her light wand. Unlike the time Ezreal was trying to rape her, boiling emotions don't burst to the surface saving her. Fear keeps her locked in place, helpless.

"Pathetic. Truly sad. And here I had thought Garen was lying to me about your helplessness. I can see why he is calling in his favor. You truly need protecting." Katarina practically spats at her.

Just as quickly as Katarina got behind her, Katarina is suddenly in front of her. Casually she sits down on the chair. With a flick of her tongue, she licks the blood off her dagger. Sheathing the dagger behind her back, Katarina smirks at her before pouring herself a shot of whiskey. Without a second thought Katarina downs the shot and pours herself another.

"I..." Lux tries to say something, but is stumped unable to continue.

This is something she had hoped would not have happened. No one finding out until she was prepared was a calculated risk. Apparently, her plan failed. But not entirely. Out of all the people to have found out, this is one of the best outcomes. Already she starts to adjust her mental Chess Board. There is a way to turn this to her advantage, and she will. Katarina obviously was just testing her. Garen apparently called in a favor for Katarina to keep an eye on her. Which is relief. One more safety net to keep her safe. I guess Garen cares for me more then I give him credit for. Again Lux adjusts her Chess Board.

"I owe Garen my life. He said the debt between us would be completely absolved if I kept you safe. He explained to me your...disadvantage." Katarina tells her. Lux remains silent.

"Starting today you will learn how to use a weapon with deadly force. There are other ways to kill then with magic. Surely even a weakling like you can manage to learn skills other then magic." Katarina says simply. Lux just stares at her, still silent.

"You are going to learn two different ways to kill without magic. One is very simple, and even you could be able master it. I have books on various poisons. Every time you come over, you will read from those books and then complete a quiz. When you are not studying from those books, you will be learning how to use a blade." Katarina's voice is firm, unyielding.

Several thoughts are racing through Lux's head. It is hard to tell which is more prevalent, the joy at learning new things, versus what she is learning. Ever since Lux was very young, she's never really had the stomach for killing. It set her apart from her siblings, and her fellow Demacians. Katarina is giving her the chance to learn amazing, useful new things. Skills that she probably won't be able to use. Some part of her always stopped her before the killing blow. Most of her offensive magic hurt, but it wasn't deadly. Perhaps the fact that people respawned on the Fields of Justice is why she could take part in their deaths. Either which way, the problem still remains. Katarina is teaching her new things, perhaps she can use them to bluff her way out of trouble?

"You're right Katarina. I do need to learn how to work around my disadvantage. However, I don't see why it is such a big deal. I've managed to be just fine without needing to kill anyone for my entire life." Lux replies back curt.

"You've always lived in cushy, safe Demacia. Here, in Noxus, things are different. You can only bluff your way through life so far. Besides, what are you going to do when Darius finds out, hm?" Katarina tells her, with a deadly purr entering her tone of voice. Lux manages to not squirm in seat.

The direction where this conversation is headed is making Lux very nervous. Nervous because she knows it is an issue. An issue she's never really been able to find a solution to. Darius has always been very protective of her, and she's afraid that she'll lose all of her freedom if he finds out the truth. Or worse yet, she'll face his disappointment. What will he think of her, once he finds out the whole truth? That she isn't as deadly, or scary, as her magical skill implies? Will he think less of her? No matter, she'll deal with that emotional issues when the time arrives.

"I'm going to tell him when I'm ready to tell him." Is all she says in reply.

"Ha! You mean never! Coward. You're married to one of the strongest men in all of Noxus. Don't you think you should have mentioned your weakness to him sooner? He's only as strong as his weakest link, and with a wife like you he's practically as good as dead..." Katarina continues. However, a part of Lux snaps. The all familiar albeit unpredictable rage bursts to the surface.

"I am not weak! I will not be the cause of his death! I have managed to defend myself this far, and I will continue to do so. I am not a weakness for him. I will NOT be his weakness! I will prove myself useful as his partner. His equal partner. Just because I've never killed anyone doesn't mean that I can't in the future. I will learn everything you have to teach me! I will master it! And I will prove to be as deadly as I need to be. Just you watch." Lux snarls back.

Sometime during her speech, Lux had stood up. Her back is rigid with rage, and her blue eyes blazing with hot emotions. Lux knows that Katarina is wrong. Not being able to kill isn't her weakness. Her weakness is Darius, and her fear of failing him. However, that fear can be overcome. A fear she will conquer into a meek, tamed little memory of emotion.

"Hahaha! Good to see you have a backbone. That'll make things useful. Having a backbone is good, losing your tempter is not." Katarina tells her with a smirk on her face. Lux flushes hot. As useful as Katarina is as a piece on her Chess Board, she isn't a perfectly tame piece or a friendly piece.

"Killing in the heat of the moment will get the job done. Killing with precision will get the job done right. Will get the job done right, and keep people alive." Katarina says softly before pouring herself another shot and downing it quickly. A brief look of sorrow crosses through Katarina's eyes. Lux knows the basics of Katarina's past. She knows why Katarina feels the way she does, and that her feelings are to be respected.

"You're right. As much as I don't want to think about it, you're right. I'll still reserve death as the very last resort though. Now, when do these lessons start?" Lux says dead serious. The sooner I get these out of the way, the better!

"They start today. You will make time each day for my lessons. And, you will promise me you'll tell Darius about your disability. As much as I don't like the bastard, he is useful for Noxus. He needs to know about your weakness so he can plan around it. Noxus will become strong. And if I need to play nice with Darius to reach that glorious moment I will. Once we're there though, all bets are off." Katarina tells her with a thoughtful look on her face.

"I promise I'll tell him Katarina. But not until I'm ready. And, I want Talon to help give me the lessons on how to use a blade. You're good, but I want to learn from both of you. I only want to learn from the best." Lux answers back, voice neutral. Well, here is my chance to win over Talon as an ally. The only trick is I have to actually earn his respect. As much as I don't want to learn how to be an assassin with a blade, I don't have a lot of choices right now.

"Very well, your request is reasonable. I'll ask him, but I can't force him to teach you. Now, for your first lesson...tell me everything you know about non magical weapons and their practical applications. I need to have a baseline of where to start your training." Katarina replies with a shrug. Again, she pours herself another shot and downs it.

"Here is what I know about swords..." Lux starts before beginning her list of knowledge.

Now, this is familiar ground. As much as she doesn't want to use a weapon as a lethal force, all of her research on the perfect revenge did give her wide knowledge of weapons. How many books had she read that involved killing someone in a painful manner? A lot. But learning about something is different than being able to do so.

That was part of the problem with her perfect revenge, she couldn't find an acceptable way to kill her mother. Knowing the methods, and finding the perfect method she could execute where different matters. One of her problems with knowing as much as she does in application of her knowledge. There are so many opportunities to apply extensive knowledge on combat, tactical advantages, city seizing, torture, and various methods of unpleasant demises. Being a tactician in a world doesn't need her skills is very frustrating. At least she can have fun with her Chess Game of life. As she continues to give off her list of weapon knowledge, Lux takes note of Katarina's face. At first there was nothing but feigned boredom, but as she continues Katarina's face changes. It almost seemed like there was a glimmer of respect in her eyes at the end. This is twice now that Katarina has given her looks that almost indicate respect.

Katarina is difficult to read. When she first interacted with Katarina on the Fields of Justice, Lux's opinion of her was that of a simple minded killer. A ruthless, efficient killer, but simple none the less. Now though, now she knows better. There are hidden depths to Katarina. Aspects to her personality that don't come to light right away. Lux isn't entirely certain what motivates Katarina's goals in life, but it isn't just the glory of Noxus. Something deeper, more personal drives her to perfection of her craft. To the perfection of Noxus, and its rightful place on Runeterra.

"I'm almost impressed with you, little Lux. Your knowledge of topics beyond pretty spells is actually worth something. This will help me greatly. I was afraid I would need to start with the very basics. And here Garen told me you know nothing useful about combat outside of the classroom! There is more to you than meets the eye, isn't there? I'm curious though, what is your game? Why did you marry the Hand of Noxus and relocate here? Hm? You had the perfect life back in Demacia...what is it about that oaf that appeals to you?"

"I know your 'reason' that you gave the public for coming all the way to Noxus is nothing more than clever politics. I agreed to help you because of Garen, but I didn't promise to not put Noxus in danger. If you have any plans that will hurt Noxus...no one will find what remains of your body. Now, back to my main question...why are you here?" Katarina asks with feigned indifference. However, Katarina's eyes are bright and focused on her. Lux debates what answer to give Katarina. Telling her lies could negate the possibility of her usefulness in the future, however, telling her the entire truth isn't the right choice. Time for a calculated risk with the right amount of limited truth. And maybe, just maybe we can become friends and allies. It'll be nice to have more friends, even if they turn out to be crazy alcoholic assassins. First to see how she reacts to my samples of the 'truth.'

"I'm here because I love him." Lux tells her simply, but as Katarina snorts with disbelief, Lux holds up one hand silencing her.

"I've loved him before he was the Hand of Noxus. A long time ago, I was just a mere spy for Demacia who made a very foolish decision regarding a certain Noxian orphan. Years later that decision still shapes my future. However, despite the changes over the years I still love Darius. My reasons are my own...after all, why would you care what my brother thinks? He's nothing more than a mere oaf. What matters now is I've chosen to live my life here, and I can't go back. I don't want to go back. I have to adapt or I'll die. And if I have beat my 'disability' into nothing more mere memory I will. However, I still refuse to resort to blatant killing to solve all my problems. There is more to strength then mere physical ability." Lux tells Katarina with a mellow tone of voice.

However, although she kept her tone pleasant, Lux keeps her eyes locked on Katarina. Refusing to blink, or look away, Lux stares down Katarina. For several long moments the two of them stare at each other. Both of them analyze each other, looking for weaknesses. With a loud laugh of what almost seems like mania, Katarina turns her gaze away from Lux to the half full bottle of whiskey.

"I think I could grow to actually like you! For now, I accept that you mean Noxus no harm. I'll keep my word to Garen and keep an eye on you. However, my threat still stands. Put Noxus in any danger, I'll kill you. But, I'll nice about it and make your death swift and painless." Katarina tells her with a smug look in her face. Lux just nods her head in agreement.

"Good! Now that our little chat is out of the way, let's get you a weapon. I have several in a collection I think would suit our needs. If you manage to actually draw my blood in combat with it, I'll let you keep the blade! Hahaha. C'mon little Lux, let's get this started." Katarina says with an almost reckless look on her face.

Silently and gracefully Katarina slides out of her chair and heads towards the door. Briefly she pauses to down Lux's untouched shot of whiskey. Just as gracefully, and almost as silently, Lux gets up from her chair follows Katarina out of the room. Considering Katarina's positively warm reception to her response about Darius, the faint glimmer of hope for friendship blooms in her heart. Other then Landra, Lux doesn't have very many close female friends in Noxus. In fact, she didn't have very many friends in Demacia other then Shauna and Xin. If she doesn't end up killing me, I think I'll work on the friendship thing! And I'll need to learn how to earn Katarina's and Talon's respect. I guess time to brush up on my combat reflexes!

As Lux follows Katarina down the hallway, a tiny flicker of movement catches her eyes. It seemed like something moved in the shadows down the hallway. Was someone listening in to their conversation? No, no. Impossible! Katarina wouldn't want this conversation to become public. Probably a rat or something. Hopefully, just a rat or something along those lines. Instead of brooding over the thought of eavesdroppers, Lux focuses her attention on the Du Couteau estate. In this section of hallway there are actual family photos. A long lineage of fierce, cunning looking warriors line the hallways. Red hair and green eyes seem to be common genetics in the family line. Before long, however, Katarina leads her into a small, but impressive room.

Inside this small room is an impressive collection of daggers. Just daggers, no other type of weapon. However, the variety of the collection is breathe taking. Lux doesn't know much about daggers in general, but she knows enough to be impressed.

"Wow." Is all Lux manages to say.

"Good to see you actually know something about dagger quality. Now, I believe these two blades will suffice for your needs. They're not the right weight or length for my personal taste, and Talon prefers a different style of dagger as well. But, for you, they'll do. Do not lose them! If you manage to nick and draw my blood with one of them, you can keep them." Katarina tells her with a smirk. Casually Katarina picks out two daggers from a rather large selection resting on a display near the wall. Faster than person can follow Katarina whirls with the daggers in hand. Stopping the daggers just before Lux's eyes, Katarina gives her a vicious smirk. All Lux does is raise a single eyebrow. She'd been expecting Katarina to do something like this.

"You're getting predictable." Lux tells her with a faked yawn. Katarina withdraws the daggers with a snort of laughter.

"Now I'm nearly impressed with you! Haha! This'll be fun. If Talon doesn't scare you away from lessons, I think he'll like you too. Now I want you to study these daggers. These two daggers are going to be your best friends until you can replace them. Daggers will never let you down. Your body can fail you, but steel this fine won't. They've been bespelled against all kinds of things. Nothing can stop them. People can stop your body, but once those babies are in motion, they can't be stopped." Katarina tells her with a proud smile.

"Why are you lending to them to me? Or even offering me the slim chance of earning them?" Lux asks skeptical.

Sure enough, Katarina isn't lying about the protective spells on the blades. There are so many spells of so many types layered onto their steel that is almost makes Lux's eyes water from the spell sight. These are daggers of the finest quality. No, beyond fine. Similar to her light wand, these daggers are beyond worth. So why would Katarina even consider lending them to her? Katarina gives her a speculative look before answering.

"I'm lending to you for various reasons. One, I need you to learn to love and trust your weapons. By lending you the best, you can get a taste of the best. You'll never be able to get a pair like them, but you'll get the thirst for good steel. Two, if you can master these babies, you can master anything. These just aren't regular daggers, they're meant to used by mages. Magic users get the most use out of them. Cassiopeia cast aside the way of the blade, Talon doesn't have the magical skill, and I already have better matching magic daggers. It'll be nice to see them get some actual use before they're put back into storage. Only the strongest magic users can handle them you know. Anyone without enough raw power dies from the mere contact with them. Handing them to you was a test...if you weren't the powerful mage your brother boasted to me about, they would have killed you on contact." Katarina says proudly looking at the daggers fondly, as if they were prize guard dogs trained to kill on command.

Eyes widening with shock, and little bit of dismay, Lux goes over all the spells on the daggers more thoroughly. Sure enough, if one's power level isn't above some strange number of 9000, it kills the wielder. Lux isn't certain if she should be happy or not. Happy enough that she survived this test of Katarina's, happy to be considered that powerful, or just happy in general. Yet, it was a test by Katarina. A test she passed, that would have killed her otherwise. Carefully Lux adjusts her Chess Board. Katarina's placement on the board is constantly shifting. Upon going over the daggers a second time with a mage's eye, then a third time, Lux decides that she will earn these blades. Even if she never becomes an assassin like Katarina or Talon, they are just too amazing to pass up.

"But what about the chance to earn them? Were you lying about that?" Lux asks softly. Swiftly, Lux goes through her library of spells working out a plan of attack. With a mental smirk, Lux waits Katarina's reply.

"I wasn't lying, but there is no way untrained blade mage like you could..." Katarina boasts with a smirk. Briefly she flicks her hair out of her eyes before continuing. Lux smiles inside at the opening.

Swiftly Lux creates an illusion of her current image before stepping backwards going invisible. With an illusion of her looking at Katarina with annoyance, Lux creates two shadow versions of herself before attacking. Sometimes you steal the neatest tricks from a ninja! Quickly causes her two shadows to dash at Katarina from both sides. As Katarina shunpo's backwards and whirls her daggers in defense Lux leans out her foot to trip Katarina. Of course, Kat's reflexes are amazing and she sidesteps her outstretched foot, causing her to lean right into the daggers Lux holds outwards in palms. Two dots of blood appear on Katarina's throat as the daggers gently nick her flesh. Inwardly smiling, Lux steps to the left dodging Katarina's reflexes to strike and kill attackers. As fast as Katarina is, Lux is prepared and already is moving well out of range. This trick won't work twice! But I only needed it to work once. With an audible poof, Lux dismisses the two shadows, and her illusion. Standing neatly out of range, Lux gives Katarina a confident smirk.

"I may not be lethal, but I'm not helpless either." Lux tells Katarina simply with a wide smile. Katarina looks at her shock for a moment before bursting out in laughter.

"Haha! I haven't been caught off my guard like that since my dad disappeared. Good times, good times. Well, you've earned those blades right enough. Now don't lose them. If you die in battle because you mishandle those blades, I'll have you brought back to life so I can kill you out of spite. Once I've killed you again, I'll repeat the process for Talon. Today's lesson is over. You might want to heal up your throat, I don't want Darius knocking on my door, after my blood. Yeah, you're alright. I can see how you've managed to not end up dead yet, but you still need lots of work. Now c'mon, let me show you the door. You'll be here tomorrow right after your work with Draven. Be prepared to work hard." Katarina tells her with a friendly grin. If one considered the smile of a feral tiger to be friendly.

Following Katarina out the door, Lux waves goodbye before heading home. A huge sigh of relief escapes her. Getting to know Katarina is like playing with fire. Useful, but deadly if mishandled. I don't think I could have pulled off that stunt if Katarina were sober. These are times for calculated risks, and boy is the reward worth it! Normally Lux doesn't care for steel weapons.

They've never been her style. After one disastrous weapon training session with her oldest brother, Lux swore off metal weapons. However, that doesn't mean she didn't grow up an appreciation for good steel. Being raised in a military family, one of the leading noble Demacian households, Lux was raised among weapons of quality. And these daggers are beyond good quality. They are one of a kind. As she walks, Lux studies each dagger in kind.

It is obvious that they are sister blades, yet each one is unique in little ways. Both of them have the same basic spells on them, but the right blade has some spells on it that the left blade doesn't have. It might take her a lifetime to learn what spells on these blades, much less using them to their full ability. Now, she looks forward to these weapon lessons. Learning how to use these blades correctly will be fun and rewarding! Still not her style, but a fun challenge nonetheless. While I adjust to these, I need to see if I can find a replacement for my light wand. I wonder if there are any qualified weapon makers in Noxus that suits my needs? I'll have to ask Susanna tomorrow. With a bounce in her step, Lux heads home. Things are looking up!

It is growing late by the time Lux reaches home. Darius isn't home yet, but he won't be back anytime soon. After all, he went into work late today. Remembering their earlier fight, a bitter gall rises in her throat. Instead of heading to dinner, Lux stops Samsin and asks for her dinner to be brought up to her room. She's going to bed early tonight, and is too tired to eat dinner with Darius. A small, white lie but she's said so many already today it doesn't matter much anymore.

As she eats her dinner alone in their room, pangs of sorrow strike her heart. It won't be soon enough that she can stop the trouble brewing in the heart of Noxus. But, when she does will she be ready to tell Darius about her disability? Katarina is right, he does need to know. However, the fear of his seeing his disappoint drives deep into her. Katarina and Garen, and a few others must think that her main weakness is not being lethal with her magic. That isn't the case, however. Her weakness is Darius, her deep emotional attachments to him. The thoughts she has had to see him happy, and keep him happy are scary in their intensity. So much of her future has been invested in one man. An entire game involving countless Noxian citizens, and several Demacians, are in place because of her love for him. She has nothing left if she fails. Yet, she has added a new king to her Chess Board.

Now she wants to see a positive future for Noxus. It goes beyond her desire to see Darius happy, it goes into an actual desire to see the positive growth of the city. Can see keep and win her two kings? Lux isn't too certain anymore. Darius wants the rise of Noxus for the sake of power and glory, Lux wants the rise of Noxus for the growth of the people. With Darius completely backing Swain, and Lux needing to remove Swain for the sake of Noxus...her future is getting more and more uncertain. How many pawns will she need to win? How many lives will be lost or saved if she fails? Despite the swirling thoughts of sorrow and despair, Lux knows one thing to be certain. Darius loves Noxus, and its rise to glory more then he loves her. She wants him to be happy, to have what he desires most. And if his future happiness doesn't involve her in it, then she'll leave Noxus. Strength above all. And the strength of her resolve to have Darius get what he wants most is paramount.


	16. ABLADD16

Slowly consciousness filters into Lux's sleep clouded mind. By now she is used to waking up naked tucked against Darius with his warm breathe against her neck reassuring her. Upon waking up further and becoming more aware this is a bit odd for Darius's weekly routine. Today is a day where Darius goes into work early. He's usually up well before her. Yet, here he is sound asleep holding her close as early morning sunlight creeps into their room. Despite the fact that he should be at work, Lux enjoys being next to him. For a couple moments she rests against him completely content. With all the recent fighting they've been having, sharing a quiet moment with him is very pleasant.

Briefly Lux wonders why he isn't at work yet, but that doesn't matter. Life is brief, and she'll enjoy every moment she can with him. Considering that Swain, LeBlanc, and several others seem to want to drag Noxus into an era of dark magic, death, and decay finding pleasure in small things is important. She needs to remember why she's fighting this hard battle, and Darius is a big reason. However, individual Noxians have become important to her. Their daily lives are now entwined with hers, and she can no longer ignore their needs. Noxus needs her, needs Darius, needs a solid, stable responsible government! Not the mess that it is now. If it weren't for dedicated souls like Darius, Katarina, and Talon in the Noxian High Command, Lux personally thinks the country would be hell right now. Before more dark thoughts can flood her mind, warm butterfly kisses start trailing down her neck then onto her shoulder. Looks like Darius is awake!

"Oh! Did I wake you? I'm..." Lux tries apologizing, however Darius gently kisses her silencing her.

"I've been awake for a while now. I've just been enjoying watching you think. You get the cutest little frown when you're thinking about something important. We've been fighting a lot recently, so I thought we should spend some quality time together. I've taken the day off so we can spend it together." Darius tells her with a smug look.

"You can do that? Just take a day off whenever you want? I mean, what about..." Lux asks surprised. She's glad to be able time with him, but she doesn't want him in trouble either.

"I'm one of the Senior Generals! Of course I can take time off whenever I feel like it! I have underlings for things like this. I have some people I trust to not drive the military into ruin for a day." Darius tells her with a faint tone of distain.

"Of course. How silly of me to doubt you! I take it since you've taken the day off, you've made plans? You've never been one for idleness." Lux teases him. Darius does not believe in wasting time. What he determines to be wasteful or not confuses her sometimes, but he is always productive in some manner.

"We are going to have some quality bathing time together, eat, spend more quality time together, play some chess, eat, more quality time, talk some and maybe play so more chess, then eat, and finally end the day with more quality time." Darius informs her with a pleased tone.

"So, you've planned a day of 'quality time'? Is that all?" Lux teases again.

"What can I say? The best time of the day is spent with you, when we're not fighting. Any peaceful moment with you is quality time, but sometimes are higher quality. Considering that the sad excuse that calls himself my brother spends more time in your company then I do, something had to change." Darius tells her with a very serious tone of voice.

Darius's eyes have an intense look to them. The look that sends shivers of pleasure down her spine. Eyes that speak of deep emotion, of love and care, and so much more. I wish I could get his help with Swain, but for now I'll just enjoy this peaceful time together with him. Give myself more reminders why I work as hard as I do for my future with him. Lux gives him a loving smile in return. Carefully she wraps her hands around his neck and weave her fingers into his hair. Darius gives her a pleasing look back before kissing her deeply.

"Come now, let's have some quality bathing time together. I have a nice large bathtub that can easily hold two people comfortably." Darius informs her.

"Oh?" Lux just replies. With a smooth motion Darius wraps his arms around her and swings her up against him before sitting up and getting out of bed while carrying her.

Tucked safely in his arms Lux just looks surprised at how quickly he went from horizontal to vertical while holding her. For such a large man, Darius is very agile. With a smug confidence Darius carries her over towards their bathroom for some bathing quality time together. With a brief flick of her fingers Lux opens the bathroom door. Darius just makes a contented, hmmm'ing noise at her effort. Not surprising, although curious, there is already a hot drawn bath waiting for them. Her husband is a master of getting things done quietly, swiftly, and efficiently with minimal noticeable effort. He gets things done like magic, only without having the skill. Which in and of itself is amazing. One of the many qualities she admires and loves about him. With a gentle tenderness he slowly lowers her into the large bathtub.

It is an impressive bathtub. It rivals the one she had in Demacia. Set low into the floor, it is a large oval made out of seemingly one solid piece of black marble. There are various grooves in the bathtub that could make up seats at the deepest end. Small shelves carved into the marble make room for soaps, shampoos, and the like. Nestled next to his, are a small collection of her own personal soaps. Not that she doesn't like the smell of her husband, however, Lux doesn't want to go around smelling like an alpha male. Lux is content with her various rose scented soaps, shampoos, and perfumes. A subtle magic built into the tub keeps people from slipping and getting hurt. It is a very impressive, quiet magic. Lux already stole the spell that makes it work. Carefully Lux moves over so that Darius has room to get next to her. Once Darius gets settled into the bathtub Lux finds herself picked up and placed onto of his lap.

"Eeep!" Lux squeaks in surprise.

She's never had quality bath time together with anyone before, and isn't exactly sure what to expect. Most of the cheesy romance novels she's read don't mention bath time fun. Again, the all too familiar full body blush sweeps down her body. Another familiar presence pressing urgency against her bottom reminding her that is going to be quality time. As his hands start to wander down her body Lux lets out a loud moan of pleasure.

"Darius..." Lux moans her body starting to get that familiar feeling of intense desire, pleasure, and need.

"Mmm...you smell wonderful." Darius tells her as he nibbles gently against her neck.

"Your hair is like the finest spun Ionian silk. Your eyes are more clear and beautiful then the rarest Shurmia sapphires. Your skin is smoother then Kalamanda porcelain. Your body is more lovely then the finest sun statues on Mt. Targon. You're an angel that fell from the heavens. I'm the luckiest man in all of Runeterra to be married to you. Whatever you desire, I will find a way for you to have it." Darius tells her lovingly as his hands continue to wander over her body. His hands gently caressing a sensitive spot here, rubbing circles around her navel, and so much more.

"You say the sweetest, most flattering words husband mine." Lux tells him with a giggle.

"I say the truth not idle flattery." He tells her solemnly.

Lux turns around to look him in the eyes. Everything about him says that he is being serious. To Darius, none of that flattery was that...merely empty pleasing words. He genuinely means what he says. In his eyes, she is an angel. Parts of Lux melt inside at the warmth of his words, of his gaze, of his hands. I want him to be happy. He deserves better than me, despite his words. Quickly as she can, Lux flips over and straddles Darius catching him surprise. As his eyes widen, then narrow with pleasure Lux gives him a smirk.

"Save a warhorse, ride a general, hm?" Lux tells him with a purr. Darius just smiles, his grin growing wide and wolfish.

"You know best...now show me how to properly ride a general, wife of mine." Darius murmurs with pleasure as he leans forward locking them in a kiss.

Sometime later, a much pleasurable time later, Lux is resting next to Darius completely content. The two of them are cuddled next to each other in the bathtub. Darius has one of his arms wrapped around her shoulder, keeping her close. Snuggling against his chest, Lux rests her head against him. This is bliss, if only life could be always be like this. But, it isn't. I have a job to do. Time to get a part of it out of the way.

"Mmm, Darius one of the things I was doing yesterday, while 'AWOL' was helping the Noxian public. I helped a midwife, we both worked to save a young woman and her twin sons. They named the oldest one after me, in honor of my hard work." Lux tells him.

"They named their oldest son after you? That is a great honor! You do me proud." Darius answers back, sounding very pleased.

"Mhm. I'm being to feel more and more at home here. The Noxian public reminds me of the common Demacian actually. I like to help. I want to help. I want Noxus to rise strong." Lux replies thoughtfully. Darius just makes a grunt of agreement.

"That is what you want the most, isn't it? To have Noxus rise strong? To be the strongest city state and rule over runeterra. Because a unified, strong Noxus would deserve to." Lux asks. C'mon love, take the bait!

"Yes, that is one of the things I desire most. It pleases me greatly that we both share such a glorious, unified mission. I am glad that you are adjusting to life here." Darius says thoughtfully, briefly squeezing her against him tightly.

"It was difficult in the beginning, but I'm beginning to really enjoy it here, with you. There is so much to Noxus that I had no idea existed! " Lux explains happily. Still she needs to navigate the conversation to what she needs to learn. Time for a little verbal chess work.

"I had no idea about the Central Power System here. There aren't any records of it in Demacia! Which is good, considering the chaos that would follow if something were to happen to it. I mean, how does such a thing exist. I didn't know such a system was possible. How did it come to be?" Lux asks thoughtfully. I'm sorry my love, but I need to know this state secret. I promise I won't share it...Pangs of guilt spike in her heart, but Lux shoves them aside.

"Hm. You know about the central power system? My, my you've been busy learning our state secrets! Good thing I trust you, or I'd have to execute you for knowing such things." Darius tells her seriously. Lux feels tiny pangs of panic mingle with the guilt. If only you knew...

"But! I do trust you. In fact, the more you know the more likely you might be able to help Noxus in the future. As my personal consulting tactician the more you know, the more prepared you will be for anything that could go wrong. You're a valuable asset to Noxus, I trust you. As you know, the city of Noxus is carved from a large granite mountain. In the early, early stages of building discoveries of a rare mineral that stores and conducts magic was found. It is riddled throughout the mountain, similar to veins of gold or silver. It is found nowhere else in all of Runeterra. Not once has the mineral been exported out of Noxus. We call it Onyx Noxianite. Countless generations of sorcerers have poured their blood, magic, and even souls into the central power system. It supports, contains, and manages the magic that runs Noxus. I would show you...but not even I have access to the tunnels that lead to the core. Only a very select few have access, and no one has complete access to all of them. Only Swain knows where all the tunnels are, who has access to them." Darius explains to her thoughtfully.

"Wow. Just...wow. Thank you for telling me. I give you my word that I would rather die than share that secret with anyone." Lux whispers softly. If what he says is true, then I'm as good as dead.

"Enough serious talk! I thought we were supposed to be having quality time together...how about we have some quality time while eating breakfast?" Lux teases Darius. With one finger, Lux gently pokes him in the side. Darius lets a loud laugh before sweeping her up in his arms. Again with a grace that seems impossible for a man his size, Darius gets them both out of the bathtub in one smooth movement.

By the end of the day, Lux is exhausted and delightfully sore. All day Darius has been lavishing her with attention. In private, the Hand of Noxus is a very charming, sweet man. Out of view from the public that demands his ruthless reputation Darius is a very loving husband. That much hasn't changed about him since the moment she first met him. No matter how what he's gone through, he is still the young man she fell in love with so many years ago. Though, he has changed from those glorious moments years ago.

Darius has earned, and maintains his reputation as a ruthless warrior. He's a bloodthirsty, relentless warrior who will not hesitate to slaughter innocents to win a battle. Yet, Lux doesn't hate that part of him. How many Demacians have killed innocents in war? There isn't a chance before every battle to go out and ask about people's allegiances before a battle. Battles are raged, wars fought, and the blood of countless people flow without regard as long as Demacia wins. How can she hate a part of Darius that is a part of her very upbringing as a warrior of Demacia? We're so much alike, and so very different. I will do everything in my power to bring glory to Noxus. If things had gone differently, would I be putting in the same amount of effort into rising Demacia to glory? No, if I hadn't met Darius, Lilia would have married me off. I'd be a mother of a hoard of little warriors that would be stolen from me for the sake of the crown. Enough wool gathering! I have a chess game to complete!

Early the next day, Darius was well gone by the time she wakes up. Still, out of subconscious desire, Lux rolls over and clutches the covers where Darius sleeps beside her. Grasping the empty blankets in a vain hope that he would be there for her to touch. I wish...No matter! I have a busy day ahead of me! I need to attend Draven, gather secrets, get training from Katarina, and so forth. Oh man, Katarina will be pissed I missed yesterday's session!

As Lux gets ready for her busy day, she dresses in practical clothing. Like always, her clothing is of the finest quality materials. However, unlike most of her outfits, this one is meant for working. Instead of delicate, expensive fabrics, it is durable material meant to take a beating. Soft leather made from a creature caught in the Kumungu jungle. It is dyed a dark shade of blue. A matching tunic made of the same material only dyed shade of matching purple go with it. Durable boots, leggings, and other gear is also assembled. Once she is properly dressed, Lux grabs her faithful satchel and heads out the door.

The familiar routine greets her. Information gathering, spell exchanging, general chit chat with the public, and the dreaded spectacle with Draven. Things, however, get interesting once she reaches the Du Couteau Mansion. Lux had promised Katarina that she would show up yesterday for training, and she hadn't kept her word. Technically she had...she promised she would come over after working with Draven. She never worked with Draven, which means she never needed to come over...right? No matter! As she approaches the gate her sense of being watched creeps over her. Not only is someone watching her, they are stalking her with deadly intent.

Remembering her last 'lesson' with Katarina, Lux prepares for an attack. Katarina won't go easy on her, and neither will Talon. Carefully placing an illusion over her person, Lux draws out one of her new daggers. Even though she doesn't have any formal training with them, she knows enough about daggers in general to be menacing. As tempting as it would be to go invisible to sneak into the mansion, Lux decides not to. It would give away her secret that she can, indeed, go completely invisible. A smart warrior will figure out that there are other dangerous applications to this particular power. Giving away her trade secrets is not part of the plan. As much as she would like to completely trust Katarina and Talon, they're still pieces to be used. Both of them are crazy killers who want the best for Noxus, in the most ruthless way possible. Not the best choice in trust worthy friends! Still, she is being tested for some sort of combat. Time to pass their test!

As she walks down the pathway, Lux keeps up the illusion of being relaxed and at ease. It is possible that her teachers have observed her standard behavior. So, she keeps up looking like she is subtly studying the landscape. However, beneath the illusion, Lux is tense and alert. The feeling of being stalked grows stronger and stronger.

Lux doesn't see the both attacks coming her way, but her Crownguard battle born instincts kick in. Countless generations of warriors have passed along the genes for combat awareness. Instincts Lux utilizes to her best ability. One of the attacks comes from her right and the other from behind her. Barely in time she manages to go invisible and get out of the way of the whirling blades. Her light illusion is shredded into countless little beams of light before dissipating.

Tension crackles through the air. Now comes the tricky part. Neither Talon or Katarina know her exact location. However, it won't take much movement on her part to give away her position. If I were a scared little Demacian where would I run to? How would my chess piece move in their eyes...? Aha! I know! Standing completely still, Lux summons another illusion of herself about six feet in front of her. It appears that she suddenly jumps from behind a bush one blade ready in her hand. With a mental whirl of her magic, her illusion whips around to the right where she expects Katarina to attack her next. Sure enough, Katarina appears to her left dagger barred. However, before Katarina can kill off her illusion, Talon also becomes visible. One hand firmly grips Katarina's wrist, holding her place.

"That isn't her, Kat. The Demacian is somewhere behind us. I'd say...roughly six feet behind us. At least, that is where I would be. Far enough way to dodge a melee attack, but close enough to attack with a rapid ranged attack. Alright little girl, you've proven that you aren't a stupid, useless lump of Demacia. You're useless, but not stupid. Come out now. You're wasting my valuable time." Talon states calmly.

Although his hand is firmly grasping Katarina's wrist, his eyes gaze directly where Lux stands stock still. Interesting! Talon is more clever then I originally gave him credit for. I'll need to adjust my Chess Board...Just as quickly as Lux becomes visible, she adjusts her Chess Board, assigning Talon a new piece. However, while she does become visible, she still keeps her dagger gripped tight. Katarina is unpredictable, and Lux doesn't feel like healing herself because she got careless.

"Hahaha! Good job. I'm almost impressed. Almost! Now c'mon, you have a lesson on how to poison people to attend to. You're done with Talon's lesson for the day. Your time is now mine to control. Follow me." Katarina says as she shunpo's next to Lux.

One of Katarina's delicate hands flips a lock of red hair over her shoulder. The other makes a mocking wave like movement with her hand, motioning Lux forward. Carefully keeping Katarina a certain distance away, Lux follows. Again, Lux is led deep into the heart of the Du Couteau mansion. The place still feels eerie, almost haunted. It is barren of staff, and not a single voice can be heard. A deep, thickening silence coats the place like a suffocating blanket. Somewhere, deep within is Cassiopeia. Rumors about her fate after her 'visit' to Shurmia float around Noxus. Nothing concrete has reached her ears though. Most of her knowledge comes from lower class citizens, not the aristocracy. However, her attention is soon drawn from her thoughts of the hollow place, and back to the task at hand. Learning how to kill people with poison.

It seems cheap and cowardly to kill someone with poison. It would be more honorable, more just, if the person was given a chance at a fair fight. Yet, it has been proven that Lux can't completely 'finish' a fair fight. To the Noxians, this means that she is completely useless in a dirty fight. And dirty, under handed, ruthless power struggles are the norm here. If she wants to prosper, to help Darius, to be the best she can be, mastering this skill is a must. Even if it is distasteful. And to be used as a last resort. No matter! I have a game to win! Enough wool gathering, time to focus!

After a couple minutes, Katarina and Lux reach a dusty library deep within the mansion. It is obvious that no one has been inside for years. Confidently Katarina leads her through the maze of bookshelves. Although the Du Couteau mansion is far bigger then Darius's, his library is far more impressive. Not to mention far, far, far better maintained. At the end of a long bookshelf is a locked cabinet. Katarina pulls out a sinister looking key. The key itself is both magical and mundane in purpose. Made of some metal long tarnished black, it looks wicked. At the top of the key is an ornate bone skull. Small, intricate details are carved throughout the skull. As much as Lux would like to study the key further, Katarina uses it to open the cabinet. Swiftly, Katarina tucks the key into a hidden pocket.

Unlike the rest of the library the insides of this cabinet are spotless. No dust, hints of mold, or evidence of rodents anywhere near the contents. A very, very powerful preservation spell is in place keeping the contents spotless. Lux already knows this particular spell, so she doesn't bother to steal it. There are five books within. Each book is a red leather bound with some sort of metal. It looks brass, but Lux knows that it isn't that. There are no titles on the spines of the books. Katarina pulls out the book on the end. With respectful care, Katarina hands Lux the book.

"This book is priceless. It holds records that can be found nowhere else. Long, long before my family turned toward the noble path of the blade, we used poison as our chosen weapon. These books are used to each new generation of Du Couteau the fine art of poison. I've only skimmed them, but Cass has read them all more than once. This is the first book in the teaching series. I want you to read, and completely memorize the book. I know you've a got an impressive memory! I want these books burned into your skull. You will know this information for the rest of your life. By giving you this knowledge, I am turning you into one of the finest poison masters in all of Noxus! Be proud! Be glad! I'm going to mold you into an actual useful member of Noxian society. You'll be wasted on Darius, but you'll be a fine asset to me." Katarina tells her.

A wild smirk crosses Katarina's face as she continues to talk. There is a deeper reason for Katarina passing on this knowledge. Lux isn't certain what it is, but she is sure that it'll be deadly for someone. Katarina isn't just teaching her how to kill in order to defend herself. Katarina is teaching her how to an assassin. Not just any trained killer, but an extremely skilled killer. As much as Lux is using Katarina as a Chess Piece, Katarina is doing the same to her. Glimmers of respect fill Lux. As much as she doesn't like being used, she understands Katarina's perspective to gather allies for her own ends. Katarina is no life Chess Master like Lux is, but she isn't a mindless Piece either.

"Hmm. I don't know what your agenda is. As long as it doesn't endanger myself, or Darius, I'm fine with it. For now! This goes beyond what you're doing for Garen. All you really need to do is teach me the basics of poisoning, and I'll be okay for his purposes. What you're doing is something special. Something beyond what Garen wants you to do. I'll memorize everything in all of those books. I'll master this craft. It'll be useful to me. I won't poison someone as a first resort, but it'll be useful nonetheless. Hell, you're being so generous about this knowledge. As a thank you, if I ever see Garen again I'll make your efforts seem amazing. He'll hate the way you're teaching to defend myself. But I'm sure I can make you look good. Somehow." Lux tells Katarina back, and equally wide smirk on her face.

"Haha! I'm growing to actually like you. You've got the right attitude to be a decent Noxian. You were wasted in Demacia. I'll make you shine to your fullest potential. I know you have some sort of personal agenda for me. You know that I have a personal agenda for you. Now that we're on the same page, let's beat that disability out of you." Katarina says with a wild tone of voice.

"Hah! I'm growing to like you as well. There is more to you then what you show in the League. Since we're both on the same page, let's make this work as partners. At least, partners for now...things can change." Lux says with a cheeky sarcastic tone of voice. Holding out one hand, Lux looks deep into Katarina's green eyes. Katarina stares back before bursting into loud manic laughter. With a firm grip, Katarina shakes her hand.

"Enough chatter. Get to work! There are tables and chairs just beyond this bookshelf. Memorize as much as you can within an hour. I'll be back then. I have to go celebrate this 'friendship' with some quality gin." Katarina tells her before walking off without looking back.

Lux shakes her head in amusement. As complex as Katarina is, there are some parts of her personality that never change. Gingerly holding the red bound treasure, Lux makes her way over to the mentioned table. Once she gets settled in, Lux opens the book and starts to read. While studying the forbidden tomes in Demacia, she thought those books were gruesome. No, she now she knows what gruesome is. The detailed descriptions of various poisons, toxins, and venom are fascinating. However, the equally detailed hand drawn color results of the various aren't. Whoever drew the pictures for these introduction text to killing with poison had an eye for detail.

Briefly Lux checks the art for any magical residue, but she finds none. No, whoever created this art didn't use magic. Only the magic that comes from sheer refined talent. Examples of melting flesh, boiled skin, skin covered in boils, rotting flesh, and so much more are lovingly drawn in extreme detail. Perhaps what is more chilling then the artist drawings of various painful results is the completely monotone writing style. Whoever wrote this loves their craft, but can write about in completely neutral tones. How many people did the author kill to learn all of this knowledge? With a firm shake of her head, Lux shoves those thoughts out. Instead of thinking about the death required to write such a book, she needs to focus on the information within.

Carefully, Lux puts herself into a magical trance. Instead of actually reading the pages word for word, she is scanning each page with her magic making a copy of what she sees. It takes time, and will give her a nasty headache, but she won't forget anything this way. At the current rate it should take her about week to copy everything in the book. I'm going to need to make some seriously powerful pain relievers for this...but I'll deal with it. A nasty headache is worth the knowledge! Any pain is worth being useful to Darius...!

Sometime later, roughly three hours, Katarina comes to fetch her. In that time span, Lux scanned about ten chapters. Not only does she have a headache, she has an upset stomach. She thought that by now she would have an iron stomach after reading books about Noxian torture techniques. No, something about this knowledge turns her stomach into knots. A clinging, coy evil seems to seep from within. Something is very different almost rotten about this book, and if the others are like this one then she'll be in for rough ride. Katarina takes one look at her face before plopping down in a chair next to her.

In one hand Katarina has a mug of a steaming fluid. It smells like a pain relieving tea. Gratefully Lux takes the mug from Katarina and downs it in one go. A burning, bitter fluid flows down her throat. Once the horrible taste fades away, so does the headache and stomach ache. Katarina looks at her with respect. Sometime during her studies, Katarina changed. Lux can't tell how, but Katarina seems to view her differently. Interesting. I wonder why?

"How far did you get?" Katarina asks softly, curious.

"I only memorized ten chapters before I started to get really ill..." Lux admits quietly ashamed at her weakness from reading a mere book.

"I'm impressed! It took Cass over a week to get through chapter five, much less memorize that much! You're something else. Talon didn't want me to warn you, but reading those books causes some negative side effects. Not everyone can stand reading those tomes. Talon couldn't get past the first paragraph. I can only lightly skim them on a good day. Cass is the first one in three generations to actually finish the series cover to cover. I'm not that surprised. You did manage to handle those daggers. Perhaps one of your ancestors had an affair with a Noxian. Gave you the right genes to do what is important! Ha! No matter. It is time for you to leave. If you don't get home soon, Darius will come looking for you. I do not want that sad excuse for a General in my home. Now, get! No holiday for you tomorrow though! I expect you here promptly after your job with Draven. No excuses." Once Katarina finishes her speech, she leads Lux out.

As Lux heads home, she takes her time thinking hard. It does seem odd that she fits in better in Noxus then she did in Demacia. So many little things she thought were odd behaviors in Demacia are perfectly common here. There are parts of her personality don't fit in at all in Noxus, but do in Demacia. Who am I really? I'm a native born Demacian, yet I fit in better in Noxus then I did in Demacia. Yet, I'm an useless excuse for a Noxian because of my 'disability'. I can't kill anyone! I've never killed anyone. I don't know if I can, even if I don't use magic. I want to be with Darius, but I do belong by his side? Do I deserve to be by his side? He thinks I'm gorgeous, but is there more? He's never admitted how much he cares. Sure, he shows me lots of loving attention, but then again men do the same thing for prize breeding mares...No! I refuse to just a decoration! I will prove that I'm more than a pretty face. I will prove that I am force to be reckoned with! With the knowledge I'll gather, I will become one of the most deadly people in Noxus. If knowledge is power, then I will learn enough to be Darius' equal! Life is a Chess game, and I am Master at Chess. No one will beat me at this. Not even myself!

By the time she is finished with her thoughts, Lux finds herself at home. Samsin informs her that Lord Darius is working late tonight, and that she shouldn't wait up for him. Dismissing Landra at her room, Lux decides to eat her dinner in solitude. Curling up with her journal, Lux carefully records the events of the day. Some part of her screams NOT to write down the knowledge on poison. Something is dark about those words, and she doesn't want to taint her journal with it. Munching on an apple, Lux skims over her previous entries. There is something she is missing here. Even with all her connections between secrets, there is something missing from the puzzle. Sure, she knows that Swain and LeBlanc are planning on shutting down the Central Power System. Sure, it'll cause pure chaos, but why? Swain worked hard to get into power, and LeBlanc works tirelessly to keep him there. To keep the agenda of the Black Rose in place.

Still, she has never figured out exactly what that agenda is. It is sinister, that much she knows. Whatever that agenda is, it is a threat to Noxus. Any threat to Noxus is a threat to Darius, and unacceptable. But it unacceptable for other reasons now. Lux has grown to care for the people here. Solving this mystery is more than just personal desire to be her husband. It is now a need to protect those around her. I don't know what you're planning exactly Black Rose, but you've met your match in me! Carefully placing her journal down someplace safe Lux curls up for bed.

Sleep does not come to her. Restless dreams of blood, magic, and death haunt her. A darkness is clinging to the city, and she won't be able to completely rest until its completely gone. Just around the time Lux gives up on sleep Darius comes to bed. Silently he slips into the bed and pulls her tight against him. Safely tucked against Darius, Lux starts to calm down. As his breathe starts to brush past her neck in an even pattern Lux finally drifts off to a deep, dreamless slumber.

Again, her days fall into a pattern. When Lux isn't with Darius, she throws herself relentless into learning everything she can. Each lesson with Talon and Katarina draws her closer to being lethal. Sure enough, she is learning the craft of being deadly. Yet, a part of her still hesitates at the thought of actually killing someone. As much as she knows that Swain and LeBlanc are a danger, the thought of killing them off for peace still upsets her. There has to be another way to safety! After all, once she has enough evidence she can pass it along and have someone else take care of the problem for her. Things seem to lull into a sense peace until one fateful day. On that fateful day she is walking home when she is interrupted.

"Excuse me, Lady Luxanna?" An old man asks her politely.

Lux looks the man over. He doesn't look like much. However, here in Noxus that doesn't say much about how dangerous a person is. Barely coming to her shoulder, he is hunched over with age. Despite being wrinkled with age, none of his skin is flab. All of him is toned muscle. Skin tanned so dark, Lux isn't certain exactly what his skin color exactly is. Something about him screams 'IMPORTANT PERSON' so Lux pauses and gives him her full attention.

"Yes?" Lux replies respectfully.

"I hear you that you are a powerful healer. My granddaughter is dying. She is all I have left in the world...I can't afford to lose her. If you can heal her, I will build you a light wand in repayment." His matter fact tone of voice stuns her.

Very few people knew what a light wand is, much less claim to be able to make one. Yet, nothing about the man says he is lying. By now, Lux can tell when most people are lying to her. Not this man! He has something beyond price to offer her, something she wants. No, something she needs desperately. But if he desperate enough to offer her such a treasure, his granddaughter must be very ill. The light wand isn't worth dying over.

"I'll see what I can do. No promises however." Lux tells him.

He nods his head in understanding. Without preamble, he starts to lead the way. As Lux follows him through the twisting streets, she takes careful note of her surroundings. This section of Noxus is better maintained then the usual sections she helps. The buildings are clean, the streets free of garbage, and there are no groups of beggars on street corners, and under awnings. A sense of dread fills her. If he can afford to live in such a nice area, he should be able to afford a powerful healer. Yet, it can't hurt to see what is wrong with his granddaughter. Unsurprising he lives in a modest looking home in a good part of the neighborhood. As he leads her through his home, Lux takes notes. There are several weapons decorating the walls.

Besides various weapons there are plenty of family photos. At first there are plenty of photographs of a happy family. The old man, someone who looks to be his wife, his daughter, her husband, and five grandkids. Four of the grandkids are little boys, the youngest a little girl. Every photo has the family full of smiles. However, around the time his granddaughter turns five or so, there are no more photos of anyone else. Just pictures of the old man, and his granddaughter. There are no more smiles. Just looks of seriousness and sadness. Something tragic happened to his entire family around the time the little girl turned five. At the end of a long hallway is a door. The door is decorated with childish drawings of swords, dragons, and destruction.

"Here she is...and please. Save her." He whispers softly with an undertone of pure desperation.

"I'll try." Lux whispers back, full of sadness knowing that she may not be able too.

A part of her is moved to pure pity at the sound of his voice. Inside the door is a room decorated in shades of yellow and orange. Several posters of Draven are on the walls. Where there aren't pictures of Draven are drawings. There isn't a lot of furniture, just a dresser, desk, and bed. A large bed with fluffy pillows, thick dyed woolen blankets, and a couple well loved teddy bears has the little girl. Her body is frightfully thin, and there are sags under her bright green eyes. A sickly yellowish hue is obvious through her dark skin. Whatever is wrong with her is very serious, and well advanced.

"Hello there. My name is Luxanna. Your grandpa brought me here to help you." Lux says reassuringly.

"T-thank you. C-c-can you make the p-pain g-g-go away? Please?" The little girl whispers with coughs interrupting her words.

"I'll do my best." Lux replies serious.

And she will try her best to help the little girl. At this point in the illness, Lux highly doubts that she can save her. However, there is a strong possibility she can ease away her pain. Gently Lux rests one hand on the little girls forehead. A high fever rages under the skin, so high it almost burns Lux. Swiftly Lux analyses the problem. To her amazement it isn't an illness but a poisoning. In fact, Lux recognizes this particular poison. It is from a small flower that blooms in the Fyrone Flats. A very rare, wicked, expensive and nasty poison that could only have come from someone very rich. It slowly eats away at the victim's body from the inside out. Luckily for the little girl there is an antidote. An antidote that Lux can create with some simple materials. If it weren't for that nasty book, this little girl would be doomed. However, fate is working in both their favors. And there is something she can do right away to help ease the pain away.

Carefully Lux eases some of the poison away from the little girl's core towards her legs. This'll help relieve the fever. Reaching into her satchel Lux pulls out a handkerchief and her water bottle. Neatly folding the red, black, and gold handkerchief into a rectangle Lux douses it in water. Lowering the temperature of the water to almost freezing, Lux places it on the little girls forehead. Once that is done, Lux turns towards the old man.

"She isn't ill from an infection, or disease. She's dying from Hybris poisoning. I can cure her. I will need you to get some items because I can't cure this with magic. However, I do know how to create the antidote." Lux tells him with a smile.

"Tell me what you need. You shall have it within the hour." The old man tells her with a huge smile on his face.

The obvious relief on his face makes Lux feels warm on the inside. Here is something she can do. Something good for an honest man who just wants to see his only family be healthy and happy. Digging deep into her memory, Lux lists off the ingredients she needs. Once she is finishes, the old man claps his hands twice. A servant quickly comes to the room and stands at brisk attention. Although he only heard her list once, he repeats it word for word to the servant. Once the old man finishes, the servant nods his head before leaving.

"Thank you. My name is Neilsyn L'Rant. I was in such a rush earlier that I forgot my manners. Here, while Benjum is fetching those things, let me treat you to some refreshments. This way please. Do you prefer juice, tea or coffee?" He inquires politely.

"If you have some apple juice, that would be delightful." Lux says.

"I do indeed have apple juice. Come, come. Sit down! Let us talk while comfortable." Neilsyn tells her firmly.

As Lux follows him, she tries to remember where she has heard his name before. His name is familiar. She's heard it somewhere, but she can't remember where! No matter! I'll research it when I'm done here. The room he leads her to is small, but comfortable. A small round table with two chairs is in the center. Small glasses of apple juice are waiting, along with small finger sandwiches. Gracefully taking a seat Lux starts to sip her juice. The two of them enjoy their drinks in silence for a couple minutes. While drinking her juice, Lux debates asking Neilsyn some key questions.

"Neilsyn, your granddaughter is poisoned with something very exotic...who would hate you enough to do such a thing? This screams of rotten politics. Only someone with a lot of money could afford to get away with such an act if caught. The laws against poisoning are strictly enforced." Lux says politely.

"Hm. Getting directly to the point at hand. Good for you. I'm too old to wait around for small talk. You should know, this I was the head researcher for magical weapons. I believe you broke into my office several times when you were working for Demacia." Neilsyn says with small smile as if amused by something.

"O-oh! Um..." Lux stammers finally remembering his name embarrassed. Oh shit!

"Haha. No need to be ashamed. You were doing your duty. I was impressed by your sneaking in and out. If I hadn't had certain items in my office, I would never have known about you being in there. Several years ago, I discovered a state secret about Central Power System. Something that got my family killed, and tainted my career. I was retired, and officially cleaned of duty. I don't remember what I learned so long ago, only that it is terrible. Someone wiped it from my memory. I was too important to just sweep under the rug. So they tried to subdue me by killing my family as a warning. It is all my fault they are dead, and I don't even remember what was so important...the only reason why my little Gammy was spared the carnage is because she was with me at the time. I had thought her safe, but about a year ago she started to get sick."

"None of the doctors could find what was wrong with her. So many cures were tried, and none of them succeeded. I was getting desperate when I heard about your healing abilities. At first I didn't want anything to do with you. After all, you were nothing more than a Demacian who stole information from office! But I've since learned differently. If your cure works true, then I will be in your debt forever. But, I believe I have answer to your problem with weapons. But for now, let's enjoy our drinks. " With that being said, Neilsyn takes a deep drink.

Lux sits there kind of stunned. It isn't the ruthless politics that stun her, no it is the knowledge that she wasn't a sneaky as she believed. It stings her pride that she was discovered by such mundane means. However, now isn't the time to feel self anger. Now is the time to focus on the problem at hand. Concocting that antidote. Shortly after she finishes her juice and two sandwiches, Benjum arrives with a bag full of supplies. Without saying anything, Lux stands up and takes hold of the bag. Checking over the contents, she nods with pleasure. She has everything she needs to get the job done. Without hesitation, Lux follows Benjum to the kitchen, per her earlier instructions. Ready for her is one cauldron full of fresh spring water just put above a raging fire.

As the water starts to boil, Lux carefully adds in the ingredients. Each one is measured preciously, and added in at the exactly right moment. Once the concoction is completely mixed, Lux takes it off the fire with care. A quick dramatic snap of her fingers causes the antidote to chill. Once a watery green mixture it is now a thick, green goo. Taking hold of a cup, Lux uses her magic to scoop some into it. Carefully handling the cup, Lux hands it to Neilsyn.

"Have her drink all of this. Don't let her cough any of it up! It'll taste nasty, but it is important none of it escapes. Once she has finished drinking this, save the remainder for two days. Once it solidifies, grind it into a fine paste. Add that paste to fresh spring water, and use it as a chest rub to help ease the pain. She'll be showing signs of recovery within a week. It'll take time until she's up to full strength, but she should be able to move around within a month." Lux tells him briskly.

"Now, if you excuse me I need to get home. My husband will worry if I take too long. In exactly seven days, contact me with details on the light wand. I expect only the best from your efforts." Lux says sternly.

At this point, it is time for business. Neilsyn looks her in the eyes and nods. The two of them shake hands in agreement of their deal. Benjum then escorts her to the door. It doesn't take much effort to for her to reach the main streets that lead home. Something about this seems off. Oh, there is nothing fishy about the deal that went down. No, the poisoning seems off. Something about it seems out of place. Why wasn't Neilsyn poisoned? Why punish him now? It didn't seem like he was lying to her, but she begins to have doubts.

Lux doesn't catch all the lies sent her way, but she is used to catching them all. However, she is human and can make mistakes. Yet, this is a terrible time to make mistakes. Somehow this is related to the Black Rose. How though, she doesn't know. Yet! Somehow Neilsyn is closely tied to her problem with the Black Rose. Her instincts scream that she's found the key to her puzzle. She'll write down all she's learned in her journal, sleep on it, and check in on Neilsyn at the end of the week. With a bit on concern Lux notices that the sun is starting to set, and she isn't home yet.

Picking up her walking speed, Lux hurries home. As she walks in the door to the dining room, Darius comes in shortly after. At the sight of her husband, Lux gives him a huge smile. Soon! Soon my love I'll be prove my worth. To you, to Noxus...and to be honest, to myself. Samsin has set up an excellent meal for the two of them. Lux isn't entirely certain who determines the menu, but she is reasonably sure that Darius has some say in it. At least, once she moved in. At every meal there is at least one dish she loves! All of the quality is amazing, and she is getting spoiled. If she didn't burn up so much energy using magic all the time, she'd get fat!

For today's dinner, there is grilled lamb with a creamy white minty sauce. Fancy patterns are done along the side of it various edible plants. Next to the lamb is a thick, rich vegetable casserole of some sort. Sautéed mushrooms filled with fish, cheese, and spices are available. Thin slices of toasted bread topped with garlic, cheese, and fresh tomatoes also await. And for desert, there is apple fritter. Per usual, she has a wide variety of drinks to chose from. Darius tells her about his day as he eats. All ears, Lux listens to him. Not only does she learn all sorts of useful information, but she loves the sound of his voice. Just listening to him is soothing. By the end of the meal, Lux is relaxed. Darius has work to finish up, so Lux has the evening to herself. Giving Darius a quick kiss, Lux heads to the library to do her usual journal entry.

After she finishes her daily entry, she looks over her work. I'm missing something here! But what? Suddenly it dawns on her. The Central Power System! That is the key. Neilsyn learned something that the Black Rose didn't want others to know. He has the key puzzle piece she needs to know in order to learn their plan. Everything they're plotting circles around the Central Power System. If he discovered this years ago...how long have they been planning this? What are they planning that take years to come about, and why now? More importantly, can she get the key soon enough to stop it from happening? Yes, it has taken years to plan. However, the little hints of darkness and death seem to point to rapidly approaching doom. If I can extract the lost information from Neilsyn I can solve the puzzle! I can win! I WILL WIN! I'll pass the light wand for this information. If I'm lucky, I can get both. But the information is more important. Hmm, I should probably earn more favors with him. Hmm, his granddaughter is a Draven fan. I'll have Draven sent her an autographed photo. He'll love that! He's always happy to give away autographed photos. Such an arrogant prick, I love using him with it. So useful!

Content with her discovery, Lux checks the time. Sure enough, Darius should be done with his work. Lux places her journal in its customary place in the library before heading up to bed. Softly she knocks on the door, making sure Darius is finished.

"I'm done!" He hollers at her.

As she walks into the room she finds herself walking start into Darius. Sure enough, she bounces off and starts to fall. Again, as tradition he catches her then pulls her close for a kiss. Leaning up into the kiss Lux snuggles close. After learning that she has the key to her puzzle, getting attention from Darius is just icing on the cake. Well, icing plus ice cream. Everything sweet and wonderful. One quick sweep of his arms, and Lux finds herself tuck against him feet off the ground. Swiftly he carries her over to their bed and starts to undress her.

"Someone is feeling frisky." Lux says with a grin.

"Mhmm." Darius murmurs at her, turning his attention to kissing her shoulders as he slides her pants off.

"Mmmm, you naughty naughty boy. " Lux purrs at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I'm always a naughty boy when it comes to you. All it takes is a mere glance in your direction and I'm naughty." Darius whispers into her ear before starting to lick it.

"A-ah Darius..." Lux moans in pleasure as he nibbles on the sensitive spots on her ears.

With practiced ease, Lux releases her hold on his neck and starts to unbutton his shirt. As each button is opened, Lux kicks the now visible flesh. At this point, Darius lets out a low moan of pleasure at her touch. Once his shirt is completely open, Lux raises her hands up his back and slides off the shirt. As her hands trail down his back, Lux takes a moment to caress his various scars. Each one is proof that Darius is strong and handsome. T here is rather long one at the base of his back. From experience, Lux knows that if she presses her fingers gently against the top of it, Darius will moan with pleasure. Every chance she gets, Lux rubs that sensitive spot, knowing the pleasure it brings him.

At that point he sets her down on their bed before settling himself above her . As his gaze sweeps over her body, full of intense emotions and desire, the all too familiar full body blush returns. No matter how many times he looks at her like this, she blushes hard. Something about his gaze makes her shiver with pleasure, turning on that reaction. He finds it equally adorable and sexy.

"Like what you see?" Lux murmurs, already knowing the answer. Still, she always loves to hear him say it.

"Always, now and forever." Comes his instant answer, his breath hot against her skin.

Darius's fingers wander up and down her body. A brief stroke here, or a rub there sending shivers throughout her body. As his hands move up and down, pleasuring her every sensitive spot, she does the same for him. Soon enough the two of them are moaning in pleasure. Suddenly, Lux decides she wants more. More of him. Bringing her hands up, she wraps them around his neck, digging her fingers into his silky hair. Leaning forward she kisses him hard, drawing their bodies closer together.

"Mmmm, bossy bossy bossy. So eager already...we just got started. You can wait for a bit." Darius tells her seductively, turning his attention downward.

"P-please...Darius..." Lux begs, wanting more of him. Wanting him inside her.

All he does is ignore her plea and starts kissing her stomach. Planting his hands firmly on her hips, he pins her in place. By now her legs spread with need. Gently he nuzzles his face against her snatch. Slowly he starts to lick her thighs, moving closer to her honey bot. As much as she wants to arc her hips upwards for more, he keeps her pinned in place. Once he starts to lick her pussy, he starts with the outer folds. Gently he alternates between kissing, licking, and biting. As she starts to breath harder and harder, coming closer to a climax he backs off. All she does is whimper with need. Her hands tangle in his hair, gripping it tightly. Darius chuckles deeply against her, before working his way northward again. He takes his time licking her navel, before lavishing his time and tongue on her nipples. Breathing louder and faster, Lux can feel herself coming near climax again. Yet, he pauses his attentions on her breasts and goes back to kissing her neck.

One hand releases its grip on her waist and moves downwards. Teasingly, he starts to rub his thumb against her moist clit. All she does is whimper with need. Without warning, he slides one finger into her. As she moans, he slides in a second finger slowly pumping his fingers in and out. Still, he keeps on arm pressed against her waist keeping her pinned beneath him. Still, she squirms back and forth with desire.

"D-darius...Darius...please I beg you... no more teasing...let me cum!" Lux gasps out. Her voice is part moan, part gasp, all parts desperate.

"Since you're begging me so sweetly." Darius murmurs against her neck before kissing her.

In one fluid movement, he pulls his fingers out and slides his cock in. As his hard length presses deep into her already sensitive body Lux lets out a load moan, almost coming then and there. Still slow, deliberate movements he starts to slide in and out of her. As her breath starts to pick up, and she approaches her climax, he picks up speed and pressure. Lux's body tenses, and arches up against his as her climaxes. Still, he continues to pound hard and deep into her. Again, and again her body shakes with pleasure as he continues. Yet, his breath starts to pick up and go faster. Suddenly he presses in her hard, releasing his essence deep into her. Warmth fills her and moans out his name.

"Darius...!" Lux moans loudly, hands wrapped tight against him.

"Luxanna..." He moans with desire.

A wide, content smirk crosses his face as he rolls off her. Rolling Lux on her side, he pulls her in close tucking her against his chest. Now nestled in their usual sleeping position Darius murmurs sweet nothings into her ears. Voice low, Lux can barely understand what he tells her, only that it is sweet pillow talk. Most times sex with Darius is all about control on his part. It is very pleasurable to give up control to him. There is so much he could do to her, yet everything he does is wild with pleasure. It pleases him more to control when she climaxes then all the places she touches him put together. Not that it matters. Soon enough my love, this problem with the Black Rose will be gone for good. Then I'll prove I'm more than just a source of physical pleasure. That I'm your equal partner.

Early the next morning Lux wakes up. Darius has already left for work, leaving the spot he sleeps in empty. Still, her fingers grip the spot where he sleeps in a vain attempt to find him there. After she gets ready for the day, she reviews her schedule. It'll be a busy day. That is how most of her days are actually. Very little of her time is wasted. As she strides out the bedroom door, Landra follows close behind her. By now, unless she needs something Landra has completely faded into the background. A comforting part of her day.

During the time she spends at Katarina's Lux has Landra run small errands without her. Mostly just picking up used medical supplies, and dropping off fresh ones to some of the people she helps. Even if she can't be there in person to heal, she can still provide supplies. In exchange for medical supplies, people map various sections of the underbelly to Noxus. Lux created and left behind a special tablet and pen that records what people draw on it. Gradually, she is building an entire magical map of Noxus. It still far from complete, but one day it will be. After all, knowledge is power! And knowing every corner of Noxus will make her very dangerous.

As she arrives at the arena to "assist" Draven he greets her with a lazy smile. That lazy smile grows into a wide, knowing smirk. He gives her an eloquent bow, before motioning her to follow him into his office. Briefly wondering what Draven wants from, she follows behind. Landra stays behind, respecting their need for privacy.

"Why, dearest sister-in-law! I didn't know you used my favors so freely. You're lucky Draven is always glad to help out his number one fan." Draven tells her with a wide smile.

"What are you talking about Draven?" Lux replies back calm. Sometimes she forgets just how clever and insightful Draven can be.

"You're also so selective about when you ask for my autograph! Oh, Draven never minds spreading out his greatness, but you're selective. I always wonder why you pick the people you do for my priceless signature. As the second most smart person in all of Runeterra, surely your targeted gifts aren't random. You can tell me what you're planning. I'm trust worthy." Draven tells her with a lazy drawl. He wags his eyebrows at her in an attempt to be charming.

Despite his causal tone of voice, his eyes are at sharp attention on her face. Mentally Lux chastises herself for underestimating Draven. As much as he acts like an egotistical manic, he's a smart one. Just as smart as her Darius, only more selfish. Lux doubts he'll interfere with her plan, but it still can't hurt to keep it secret for a bit longer. Not even Draven's fame keeps him entirely safe from the long reach of the Black Rose. Draven is family, and she doesn't want to see him hurt because of her.

"Oh, you know the usual. Just collecting favors here and there. Building contacts and the like with important people. Nothing gets me more popular like giving someone your priceless autograph. Its mutually beneficial, remember? I make you more popular, you help me secure here. Giving out your autograph to select people makes that possible." Lux tells him with a bright smile. I'm not lying, just not telling him the full story.

"Haha! You're so clever number one fan. And so dedicated. You're lucky to know my greatness. My bright light, brings you to attention. Without me, you'd be nowhere. Now, let's go. I have an audience to awe." Draven says with a chuckle.

As they exit the office he suddenly grips her wrist hard. Not hard enough to bruise, but enough to stop her so fast she almost trips on her face. Unlike usual, his face is serious. No charm, no charisma, nothing but intent focus on her.

"Be careful. I'd rather not have to execute someone for killing you. Oh, I'd make it my greatest show ever, but don't do anything reckless. Darius couldn't bear to lose you again." Draven tells her sternly before letting her go. Once his back is facing her, he lets a out call to an assistant for help with wardrobe as if he hadn't said anything to her at all.

Lux just stares at him in shock. Somehow he knows that she was researching something dangerous. Maybe not know for certain, but suspect strongly. He just doesn't talk all day, he can listen. He has his own contacts for information. How he knows, Lux isn't certain. What is certain, that if he knew whatever what she suspected, he'd yank her far away from it. Although he acts like an arrogant asshole who only thinks of himself, that is only partially true. When no one is looking, he does show care for her and Darius. Oh, since he makes sure someone is always looking at him in admiration, it almost never happens. But it has, and she knows this. Still, what he said seems odd. Darius couldn't bear to lose me again? He was just fine without me before! Draven is just being overly dramatic again.

As the week passes, Lux grows more nervous. Something is going to happen soon, she can feel it! Yet, there is nothing she can do. If she suddenly pounces on Neilsyn for information, it might give away her position. The Black Rose are still watching him closely, unafraid to hurt him. If they can act like that without fear, she has to be extra careful. Not only that slows down time, but the line about Darius being unable to bear losing her again. It seems so odd. Darius is the strongest person she knows! He was just fine after they parted ways the first time. He hardly acts and different when finds her after something goes wrong. What could Draven be talking about? He's just being overly dramatic again!

To keep her thoughts focused away from Draven's odd comment, she throws herself into her daily routine with a passion. Most of her energy is focused with Katarina and Talon. Talon's lessons start out with a brief lesson how to handle a blade, followed by a serious attempt to kill her. Her time with Katarina is spent reading those red books. Today she finishes the last book! It took some serious mental will power, and little bit of forced magic to scan the information. By now she's managed to not feel like throwing up after every page. Gradually, her stomach settled, and the gruesome details become routine. It is on the last page of the last book that she hears a soft sound nearby. Instinctively Lux grabs her daggers and whirls around ready to stop Talon's attack. To her surprise, Talon isn't there. Neither is Katarina. The person who snuck up on her is Cassiopeia. Green snake eyes stare deep at her. A cold, cruel smirk is on her face.

"Think you're so special? Being able to waltz in here and take over the place! You're not the only who can read those tomes. I could have finished them sooner, but I decided to take it easy. You're nothing more than diehard try hard. Once Darius gets bored of you, you'll be disposed of like trash. Thrown to the side and never used again. Draven will get bored of using you, if he hasn't already. Soon enough Demacian, you'll overstay your welcome." Cassiopeia says with a haughty tone of voice.

"You're a sad excuse Cassiopeia Du Couteau. I don't care who are, or what you have to say." Lux says dismissively, in the same lethal tone she used so many years ago.

"I made you a promise that day." Cassiopeia hisses at her.

"Try it. You'll fail. I'm too important for you to dispose of and get away with. People will notice if anything happens to me. I'm not afraid of you witch. Go slither under a rock like the snake you are." Lux says just as calm, and lethal.

"You'll see. You'll wish to be dead by the end of evening, mark my words!" Cassiopeia snarls before slinking off into the shadows.

Mentally Lux adjusts her chess board. Even though she isn't afraid that that Cassiopeia will be able to kill her, she isn't harmless either. In her mind's eye, Lux makes Cassiopeia a Rook instead of a mere Pawn. An ugly Rook whose face is crooked and cracked. Pleased with her work on her Chess Board, Lux gets up ready to go. With a deep relief, Lux places the last book into the cabinet. Now that she has all of the contents scanned in, she never wants to touch them again. As foul as the information in her is, the books ooze with hidden agony. A spell so subtle and powerful that Lux can't find it, covers those books. Hell, it feels so nasty she doesn't want to steal it!

With a nod of her head and wave of her hand, Lux bids Talon and Katarina farewell on her way out. Katarina and Talon don't tell her what tomorrow's lesson will be, only acknowledge her passing by. They never do. Having to think on her feet is a good teaching method to them. As Lux leaves the grounds, Landra meets up with her. Looking at Landra, Lux decides to send her home early. The business she has Neilsyn is very dangerous, she doesn't want to put Landra into more needless danger. Something about today screams danger. Perhaps it is Cassiopeia's threat, or the coming know that she'll finally learn the truth, but something makes her skin crawl. All of her instincts scream danger. Scream to get to Darius, then run and hide. Firmly shoving those thoughts aside, Lux makes her way to Neilsyn's.

"Lady Luxanna, come with me please. I have some important things to tell you." Neilsyn says dead serious.

"Very well. I've been expecting having an important conversation with you. How is your granddaughter?" Lux replies back, voice calm and reasonable despite her pounding nerves.

"She will be making a full recovery. I've sent her out of Noxus to Zaun, so she can receive further medical care there. But, come with me. This isn't the safest place to talk." Neilsyn tells her softly, almost whispering.

A strong sense of panic spikes in her. Battle born instincts countless generations old scream at her to run. That there is danger. Oh, not from Neilsyn, but from Noxus itself. Her right hand twitches over one of her daggers. By now, they're a familiar part of her. All she wants to do is grab her daggers run to Darius for safety, and hunker down until the danger has passed. However, that isn't an option. Darius can't save her, or Noxus. This is her mission to do alone. At long last, she is able to find out the truth. Enough of the truth to stop whatever will happen to the Central Power System. Without saying anything more, Lux follows Neilsyn through his house to a small back room. Hidden under a rug in the backroom is a small entrance to a secret room under the house. Despite being rather old and fragile looking, Neilsyn lifts up the heavy looking hidden door with ease.

Silently Lux follows him down the entrance. There is a small metal rung ladder until the hidden entrance. The tunnel is dark, and smells rather dank. Powerful, old magic keeps the place sealed. Lux highly doubts that she could find this place, or spy on it afterwards, even after learning the location. As much as she would like to steal these spells, they're carved into the very stone. Without the proper tools, it is impossible to steal it. After a couple minutes of climbing downwards in complete silence, they reach the bottom. At the bottom is a thick metal doorway with a magical lock keeping it in place. Carefully Neilsyn unlocks the door, and allows Lux to enter.

The contents within the room stun her. Wall to wall is covered with all kinds maps, photos, and articles. They are in fact similar to her own research. It suddenly dawns on her. Neilsyn is tracking the Black Rose. However, he's been tracking them for far longer. Against one wall is hundreds of photographs and paintings that belong in a horror movie. Young children, all of them under the age of ten are mutilated. All of them have been cut, and bleed nearly dry. Symbols are burned into their flesh, usually around places where they'd been cut open. By the bloody, bruised thighs, and inner legs shows clear evidence of them being raped brutally before dying. It doesn't matter their gender, all of them died the same way. With the same look of pure terror on their faces. After staring at those photos for a few moments in pure horror, Lux turns to vomit. As she starts to empty the meager contents of her stomach, Neilsyn has a bucket ready for her.

"Horrible isn't it? They way they were slaughtered for the 'betterment' of Noxus." Neilsyn says with disgust.

"You mean for the improvement of the Black Rose." Lux replies back, once she is done vomiting.

"I figured you knew it was them. Those children, by the way, are victims to Lord Vladimir. He rapes them, drains their blood for his own perverted magic, then marks their body with magic to hide his presence." Neilsyn says with disdain and hatred.

"Those missing person posters all of the people who follow the cult that Elise has created. She says that her most devote followers now live with the Spider God who gives them immortality. I know better. I've had magicians trace them. They're all dead, died in pure helpless terror." Neilsyn shows her with growing rage at another wall covered floor to ceiling with missing persons posters.

"On that wall are all the evidence I can find of LeBlanc's dark deeds. She's a sly one." He says with even more bitterness.

That wall is covered with city street maps, marking various events. Several murders, kidnappings, thefts, and poisonings dot the streets. The last bit of map are almost exactly like hers, only more full and detailed. On the last wall is articles dedicated to Head General Swain. The oldest ones lead back to his exploits as a commander on the field. There is very little information on him. However, all the articles that mention anything about his raven, Beatrice are circled in red.

"As far as I've learned, Swain himself isn't the problem. It is his raven, Beatrice. She's some sort of magical beast that has taken over who Swain used to be. Even if Swain were killed right now, the problem wouldn't go away. That damned raven would simply take over someone else. I've come to suspect that it is a living avatar of the Black Rose. Whatever they want, is channeled through that bird into Swain." Neilsyn explains further.

"You lied to me. You didn't forget the secret. You remembered it. You've studied them for years looking for the complete truth. You managed to trick them into thinking you'd been brainwashed. Only they recently learned, or suspect that you remember. So they targeted your granddaughter. That is why you had her leave Noxus as soon as she was able to be moved." Lux answers back, more pieces of the puzzle coming clear.

"Yes. You're clever, but you've not managed to cover all of your tracks very well. They know you're tracking them in some fashion. They don't know how much you know, but they want you dead nonetheless. If you weren't as popular as you are now, you'd be dead already. But you planned on that, didn't you? You weren't just the main spy for Demacia just because of your magical skill. You're smart, a tactician. Like Swain is a tactician, only not a ruthless cold blooded killer. I've been tracking your progress for almost a year now.

"I've held off asking you for help, but now I don't have a choice I'm out of time. Noxus is going to end by tomorrow morning if they aren't stopped. I don't have the ability to stop them, but I suspect you do. Please, I need you to save Noxus. I know you care for the city, I've tracked your work with the orphans, and the poor. No one in power will believe me. I'll be labeled as a crazy old man who wants to find justice for his lost family. The Black Rose will have me swept under the rug within hours. But Darius is your husband...surely you can convince him to stop this madness. He has the political influence to get to the heart of the problem, and you have the magic to handle it." Which was once a passionate voice is now, dull and hopeless sounding.

Neilsyn looks at her. His eyes are dim with cataracts from old age. Despite his musclar frame, he would be no match in a large fight, and his body is drooping. He's been out of the political scene for years now. There are no contacts he can turn to. She's his last hope. Lux swallows deep. She knew things were going to come to head soon, but she didn't think this soon...

"What will happen by tomorrow morning, Neilsyn? What do Darius and I need to stop?" Lux asks softly, almost afraid of the answer.

"I don't know exactly what you know about the Central Power System. A very, rare select few know that is made of a rare mineral that stores, transmits, and uses raw magical energy. What most people don't know, and what I learned by accident...is that the City of Noxus is alive. All of the magical power poured into the city's core for countless generations have transformed it. When it receives magic, it just doesn't get power, it gets emotions and memories. Entire sorcerers have died, drained alive the City for their power. Noxus is alive. For some reason no one understands, It gained Sentient. Despite it what it may seem like, but the emotional and mental mind City of Noxus does care for its citizens. It wants to be strong, It wants us to be strong.

"It wants to protect us to the best of its ability. It lends Its powers to the truly powerful rulers. Why do you think our last ruler lived for so long? Because the City gave him the power to. The Black Rose has learned the truth of the City. They want to control its power, use It for their own means. What they didn't know until recently, is that they can't. It is impossible to control City of Noxus, It is too old and powerful to be controlled. So, they want to kill It. They know a way. Once they kill the City of Noxus, this place will be ripe for the taking.

"All they want is absolute power. Not just power, but the power over life, death, and emotion. All the members of the Black Rose enjoy agony, torment, and pain. None of them care for the people of Noxus, all they want is control. And once they get it, our way of life will end. There will be no more Noxus, just the vile evil that is the Black Rose. Their greed is never ending, they won't stop grabbing power from the world until they own it all. Someone has to stop them, and I can't. You, and General Darius must. Please." Neilsyn says with a pleading tone.

As much as Lux doesn't want to believe him. To ignore the horror before her. She can't deny the truth. She's seen the evidence herself. Before her rests a treasure, a chest full of knowledge that backs her up. Lux shudders with horror. This is beyond her, beyond Darius even! How can they even tackle the monster that is the Black Rose. They're riddled throughout the Noxian High Command like cancer. Can she really do anything in time? It doesn't matter, however, she has no choice. If she runs away, fails to do something, everything she has come to love about Noxus will end. Darius will die, she's sure of it. His dream, his future will become ashes. All that he has worked for, will become meaningless. She can't let any of this happen. The Black Rose will need to be stopped, and she is the only one who can. Oh Darius, please believe me! You have to listen to me about Swain. I'm not strong enough...

"I'll do my best." Lux whispers back, stunned by it all.

"I lied to you about the light wand. I can't make one, I'm sorry." Neilsyn says with a shrug, but his eyes have an odd gleam to them.

"I'm not surprised. My light wand was one of kind and..." Before Lux can finish her sentence, with a bitter, disappointed tone of voice Neilsyn points her to a covered display in the far corner.

Without flair, he simply pulls off the cover. Beneath the cover is a light wand. Similar to her last one, but completely different at the same time. Instead of being blue, cream, yellow gold this one is black with various shades of red. The shaft of it is a made of sort of black stone, a stone she has never seen before. Delicate designs that remind Lux of a language, are carved into it. Each individual pattern is filled in with a red stone. The metal ends instead of being yellow gold, are Noxian blood gold. It screams of power. It calls to her like a siren. Full of awe, Lux walks over to it. Gingerly she picks up the light wand to study it in detail. As soon as she touches it a spark of raw power jolts down her. It almost feels alive in her hands...what is this?!

"Luxanna Crownguard of Demacia, Wife to Senior General Darius, the City of Noxus accepts you as an Avatar. You are now Its agent for the well being of the City." Neilsyn tells her, but his voice sounds hollow, remote and far away.

Stunned, Lux turns around and gaps at Neilsyn. Neilsyn stands before, however, someone else is in command. His eyes are completely black, however, not void. An old, wicked intelligence stares back at her.

"Who are you?" Lux squeaks out in surprise, while her light wand glows warm in her hands.

"I am Noxus. I have chosen you to be my Avatar. You have touched my very core, my essence. A piece of me now resides in your hands. I am in danger. When I fall, my people will fall. That is unacceptable. You will stop them. You must stop them." Neilsyn's voice grows even more hollow and remote.

"I-I can't. I'm just a light mage from Demacia! I'm not Noxian! I'm not powerful enough to stop Elise, Vlahimir, Swain and LeBlanc, plus how many others there are! I can't even kill with my magic! How can I be of use to Darius..." Lux gasps out, her voice turning to a sob.

"You must. You have the talents, the knowledge, the tools. You've read the Red Books, you own the Blood Sister Dagger, and you have a massive library of spells. You have the skills Noxus needs. Now go. Do what you must. You will find what you need on your own." With that said, Neilsyn falls to the ground.

"Wait! What must I do? Don't leave yet! I still need answers!" Lux yells out, dashing over to Neilsyn. To her shock and horror the old man is dead. Whatever Noxus did to take over his body, to pass on Its message, killed the old man.

"No no no no no no..." Lux starts to repeat over and over.

However, a part of Lux remains free of the shock. As she steps back, her new light wand dissolves into dark sparkles around her. She finds herself swiftly climbing up the ladder, and outside. Practically flying, Lux runs home to Darius. Without stopping to check in Landra or Samsin, Lux rushes to Darius. Darius is standing pensive by their bed. A small jewelry box sits small in his large hands. Absent mindedly he stares it at worried about something deeper than a little gift.

"Darius..." Lux says, out of breath.

"Luxanna we need to talk." Darius tells her with an odd tone of voice.

"Yes we do! But Darius you need to listen to me and..." Lux tries to say in a rush, while Darius just stares at her with an growing odd look on his face.

"Is it true that you're disabled? That you can't kill without magic, please me tell that..." Darius starts to ask, almost ashamed sounding.

"KATARINA TOLD YOU THAT?! SHE PROMISED ME..." Lux screams out in dismay, worried that Darius learns that particular fact right now. This is the worst possible time for him to think her weak and useless...

"WHAT?! YOU TOLD KATARINA BUT NOT ME YOU...YOU...You...ARGH! Traitor! How could I have trusted you?! You're a threat to Noxus! With all that you know you're too risky to be let outside on your own! Stupid woman! You are now to be under watch at all time. I will have a guard assigned to you right away and..." Before Darius can continue to scream at her Lux loses her temper.

"IDIOT! WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME?! I do NOT need a guard! We have to leave right and now...You have to trust me and..." Lux screams back, rage and fear filling her. So many conflicting emotions swirl around her.

"You lied to me! You trusted that traitorous bitch Katarina before me! How can I trust you? You've put all of Noxus in danger with your foolish, stupid risk taking! You will have an armed escort with you at all times! Starting tomorrow morning! I will have one ready for you before you leave the house!" Darius screams back, ignoring what she has to say.

"HAH! Do you honestly think that a mere soldier could keep track of me! An armed guard is useless, I can lose one in moments! I can take care of myself! Now you've to got listen to me and..." Lux continues to explain. More and more rage is filling her. How could Darius react this way? How he treat her like this? Why would Katarina tell Darius...she trusted Katarina. And this happened at the worst possible moment. ARGH!

"You're right about that. You're too treacherous for a mere soldier to keep track of your magic. However, you're also weak hearted. If any soldier I assign to you, loses sight of you...I will have them executed for failing orders. Their lives will be on your hands. Now let's..."Darius growls out.

One of his hands runs through his once well groomed hair. If Lux were rational, she would notice that he looks like a mess. He was obviously dressed for a special occasion, but something important stopped him mid way. However, Lux is not rational. Panic, fear, and pure rage bubble through her.

"ARGH! I DON'T HAVE TIME THIS! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU! I'M LEAVING!" Lux screams at the top of her lungs.

Faster than either of them thought possible, Lux twirls on her feet and is out the door. In her rage, Lux slams the door behind her with magic. A sadistic smirk crosses her face as she hears Darius run into the door with a curse. It only takes a fraction of a second for Lux to alter, and jam the lock on the door. Darius isn't leaving that room anytime soon. As tears stream down her face, blurring her vision, Lux ignores the loud yells from Darius. There is nothing he has to say that she wants to hear. Without thinking about it, Lux turns invisible and runs through the streets in a blind rush. Fear, sorrow, hate, and rage flood through her. So many raw emotions pound through her, causing her to run blindly. However, Lux finds that she isn't running blindly.

To her surprise, Lux finds herself outside of a specialty medical clinic. More importantly, the medical clinic for treating poisons. Inside that building are countless poisons. So many ways to kill silently. Parts of Lux foreign to her normal state of mind take over. The parts of her that fought back against Ezreal, her irrational right fight with her, the rage that takes control consumes her. Just as quickly as the rage consumes her, a deadly calm takes it place. This ends now!

No matter what just happened to her, to him, to them, Lux still loves Darius. She still loves the people of Noxus. Right now they're in mortal danger. If she doesn't act now, everyone she cares for will die. No matter how upset she is with him, Lux never wants to see Darius hurt. Now she needs to save the City, her love, and her future. However, now she does it alone. Rapidly pieces on her Chess Board move around in a complex pattern. Battle after battle, death after death, possibility after possibility flash through her mind. Finally she comes to one that will cause the lease amount of death. It doesn't take much for Lux to steal some key venom for her purposes.

At least three people, if not more will be dead by her hand end at the end of the night. Vladimir, Elise, Swain, and LeBlanc have to be stopped. As much as she wants to believe otherwise, Lux knows that she still can't kill with her magic. Even with her powerful new light wand...which disappeared in her rush out...she still can't kill with. However, the City of Noxus is right. She does have the knowledge to kill without magic. Swiftly Lux looks through the various toxins, poisons, and venom. To her relief, she finds the two she wants quickly. The first is a venom from a very small spider that lives in the forests on the edge of the Freljord. Just microscopic amounts of it are enough to melt the flesh of a man. It may be a bit overkill, but Lux takes the office has. Next on her list is a venom from a viper that lives in Shurmia. This particular viper's venom congeals blood. Just one drop of it is enough to solidify an entire gallon of blood. Again, she takes the entire supply. Both of them are what she needs to get the job done. With the faintest strings of magic, Lux attaches thin easily breakable vials of poison to her blades. One of them gets the spider venom, the other the viper.

Katarina once told her that killing someone to get the job can't just be done in the heat of moment, it has to be calculated. Now it is time to put Katarina's teaching in practice. Somewhere in the City is the people she needs to have dead. Instincts from deep within awaken and guide her. Ignoring all her thoughts and emotions, Lux follows her instincts. They lead her through the surface of Noxus, and downward. Deeper and deeper Lux travels through the City. Soon she finds herself outside the entrance to one of the most notorious dungeons in all of Noxus. Silently, she breaks into them. As she heads in deeper down the tunnels, the air around her changes. Instead of dank, moldy, and rank it is dry, hot and charged with power.

Before Lux is a wall. It is a simple wall. No decorations of any sort. No written signs, no evidence of human activity, nothing. However, the wall throbs as if alive. Suddenly it dawns on Lux that it is alive. This wall of black stone...Onyx Noxianite! is one of the living sections of the city. However, between her and the all is Vladimir. Dresses in his most grand finer, Vladimir is chanting into a pool of foul magic. It glows green, red, and yellow. It is spreading on the wall like a puss. As it pulses, growing wider and brighter the City itself seems to shudder in pain.

"Stop it! You're hurting the City!" Lux cries out in dismay.

"Little girl, what are you doing here? It is well past your bedtime. Kneel before me, and I might let you go in one piece." Vladimir tells her with a smirk.

"No I won't kneel to you Lord Vladimir. Member of the Black Rose, child rapist and murderer, pitiful creature of the night, and pitiful excuse for a Lord, you are not worth my respect! You are not worth the power you've stolen!" Lux taunts him, strange parts of her still in control.

Ugly, black rage crosses his face. As he darts forward to kill her, he starts to change from solid form to blood. This what her inner self wanted! That moment of weakness. Sure enough, she couldn't hurt him with magic, nor could a weapon pierce him, but something could. A certain venom designed for destroying blood. As Vladimir starts to dissolve and head her way, Lux instinctively throws one her daggers. Faster then lightning, a blade of unstoppable magic brings death to its intended target. Sure enough, the blade strikes true. As to be expected, the blade does no damage. However, the thin vials attached do break. As they shatter, an interesting look crosses Vladimir's face. At first it is a look of surprise. Then it shifts to growing horror, finally replaced with agony. Within three seconds, Vladimir changes from a man made of blood magic to a pile of congealed mess. What used to be one the most powerful Lords in all of Noxus is now just a pile of nasty gel. With the faintest flick of her fingers, Lux reclaims her dagger and cleans it off.

Still, her job isn't done. Reaching deep into her satchel, Lux pulls out a handkerchief, a match, and some water. Drenching the handkerchief in water, Lux transforms the water into a lamp oil. Dropping the remaining oil onto what remains of Vladimir, Lux strikes the match. Quickly, she sets the handkerchief on fire before dropping it on Vladimir. It doesn't take long for him to catch on fire. Black, greasy smoke rises from what used to be his blood. Ignoring the burning pile of blood, Lux rushes over to the pool of puss like magic. Despite her killing Vladimir, it is still growing. However, it is growing much slower.

A tiny tracing spells shows her that at the other end of the spell is Swain, and LeBlanc. If she wants to stop this spell, she has to kill them too. Without looking back at the charred remains of Vladimir, Lux rushes on her journey. One of her targets is dead by her hand. Strangely enough, it was easy. He wasn't expecting her to attack him, much less do any damage. She felt no remorse, or regret. Just a determination to finish the job. The next closet target is Swain.

Again, instinct guides her. Muscle memories from years ago, lead her through the hidden tunnels riddled through the offices of the leaders of the Noxian High Command. Despite it being years, old habits still remain, and Lux navigates this part of the city without detection. Soon enough, she reaches Swain's personal chambers. Rapidly movements of her Chess Board happen at once. Just in the nick of time, Lux dodges to the right. Despite being invisible, Swain knew she was here. How he knows, Lux doesn't understand, only that isn't she safe.

"I've been expecting you Luxanna Crownguard. Did you honestly think I wouldn't suspect you? Figure you out? As clever as you think you, as much as you delude yourself into thinking you're a tactician, you're nowhere near my level. Soon enough you will be dead. But before I kill you, I'm going to make Darius suffer. I was looking for the perfect scapegoat, and now I have one. Darius...He'll take the fall for all this...and..." Swain says with a smug tone of voice. With each word he says he starts to walk towards her position.

"YOU WILL NOT HURT HIM! DIE!" Lux screams, throwing the second dagger at him in a rush.

With ease he dodges the dagger. A manic laugh escapes him. They both know that she is weaponless now. There is nothing left for her to protect herself with. Even while invisible he can find her. There are no more daggers, no more poison vials, no light wand nearby nothing. As Swain approaches, a cocky swagger in his limp Lux feels herself sigh inside. Here it is. The end. Her she is without magic, unable to kill. That is what Swain thinks, what everyone around her thinks. That she is useless because she can't kill with magic. Lux isn't lethal with magic, she isn't a threat without her daggers. However, Swain is wrong. Katarina is wrong. Talon is wrong. Hell, even she is wrong.

Lux can kill with her magic. She just can't kill someone directly with it. It just never occurred to her until now. A wild laugh escapes her. Almost falling over giddy, Lux becomes visible. Swain just looks at her confused. I win!

"Checkmate." Lux tells him with a smug voice.

Faster than the eye follow Lux controls her magic. It collects the small remaining amounts of venom that trickle on the floor. Rapidly it duplicates the deadly fluid over and over. Once she has enough, and it only takes a small fraction of second, Lux flings the entire solution outwards. Swain ducks to the side, barely dodging the lethal mess. Before he can start to laugh at her aim, a look of horror crosses his face. In his rush to dodge, he allowed the liquid death to hit Beatrice. Lux didn't have poor aim, Lux had perfect aim and a plan. Faster then she thought possible, Beatrice melts into a pile of black, oily ooze. That Lux promptly sets on fire, causing the living avatar of the Black Rose to turn into nothing but ash.

However, she still isn't done. As Swain stares at her shock, Lux throws her other dagger at him. This time he isn't expecting the attack. It buries deep within his chest. As he falls to the ground, his eyes look at her confused. Just before death claims him, Lux yanks the dagger from his chest.

"I will end the Black Rose myself, for the City of Noxus, and for Darius. Goodnight Swain, may you only have nightmares in death!" Lux tells him with a snarl.

As she stalks out of the room, Lux sets it on fire with her magic. Soon enough, the flames are spreading out from his private chambers into the other rooms. All Lux does is walk away without looking back. If people aren't fast enough, the fire will spread. No, I can't have that...there needs to be evidence! With a mental twist of her magic, Lux puts out the fire. All evidence of her personal handiwork is destroyed, but the evidence of Swain's dark plans remain. In fact, without him there to keep certain spells in place, the evidence will be very easy to find.

Soon enough, Lux reaches a small area. It used to be a storage room, but now is reserved for lovers trysts. With all the confusion, chaos, and destruction, no one will come here for some romance. Concentrating hard, Lux transforms her clothing into simple, yet durable fabrics. It is in fact, very similar to her traveling outfit from when she was a spy. Once her efforts are complete, Lux leaves the Noxian High Command. Hood flipped over her face, obscuring her features Lux walks with complete confidence through the streets of Noxus, completely visible. While she was doing the searching it became clear that LeBlanc is not currently within the walls of Noxus. Neither is Elise. Both of them are in the Institute of War. If she hurries, she can catch LeBlanc off guard. Until LeBlanc is dead, that killer spell still remains in place.

They are at a stalemate. Without other people feeding her dark magic, LeBlanc isn't powerful to finish the spell on her own. However, until Lux kills LeBlanc, the spell won't dissolve and become harmless. It is only a matter of time until they cross paths. I have to hurry! If I wait too long, LeBlanc will find and train new sorcerers to help her finish the job. I refuse to let that happen. As Lux walks out of Noxus, she takes one brief moment to look over her shoulder. A strong pang of loss hits her. More than anything, she wants to run to Darius. To take refuge in his arms, and forget the whole mess. However, that isn't possible anymore. She has a mission to complete, and Darius made it very clear she wasn't trusted or wanted in his house. Goodbye Darius...I'll miss you, my love. With that final thought, Lux looks way from Noxus. Facing the direction of the Institute of War, Lux starts down her new path in life.

/

This is the end of the first book. One in many!


	17. The Long Journay1

~Darius PoV~

The lone clock in Darius's office chimes 22:30. Only a single hextech lamp illuminates his simple workspace away from home, leaving the corners of the room dark. There are several problems in Darius's life currently, making things extremely stressful and difficult. Back and forth Darius paces across a well-worn rug. As much as he'd like to be at home with his wife, she is part of the problem. When he fell in love with her, and managed to marry her again, he thought that keeping her happy would be simple. After all, he has everything to offer her that she had in Demacia. Not only that, he offers her mental and physical entertainment in and out of the bedroom. What more could she possibly need or want? His hands curl into fists and slam against the battered wall. Several fist size dents crisscross the walls.

Still, that doesn't seem to be enough to keep her happy. What else could she possibly want from him? He's given her everything she needs. Right? If only she'd tell him what was eating away at her! ARGH! Damn, foolish, stubborn woman! If only she'd talk to me! Oh, she doesn't think he's noticed how disturbed she is as of late. How often has he caught staring off into space with a worried frown on her face? How often has she scribbled long entries into the journal she calls a spell book? More than once when he approached her on the subject of what is bothering her, she snapped at him!

Lux claims that her current emotional problems don't have anything to do with him. Darius knows better though. He knows better and it enrages him that she isn't allowing him to help fix the tension between them. She just shuts him out when he asks how he can make things better. How can he do his job as her husband if she won't let him? Sure, his number one obligation is to Noxus. As the Hand of Noxus it is his duty, and pleasure, to bring his city state to greatness. However, there is one other thing equally important to him. He'll never be able to tell anyone, but Luxanna means as much to him as Noxus does. She is the bright light in his life that brings renewed purpose to his very core.

Few people know is she is one of the driving forces behind his greatness. If she had never come into his life, he wouldn't be where he is now. Noxus wouldn't be where it is now without his efforts. What isn't common knowledge is how Luxanna drove him to excellence. She gave him motivation to climb higher than he originally thought possible. He owes her so much, thus Noxus owes her! Just about all of the resources Noxus has to offer are available to solve her problems, if she would only ask for the help. Oh, she'd never ask for anything without good reason, which is why he wouldn't mind her using them! Yet, Darius knows Lux has valid reasons to ask for resources, reasons to ask for his help, but she won't tell him.

To his amazement she's adapted into Noxus as a useful member faster than he hoped possible. Sure, her methods are bit unusual, but they work nonetheless! After all, she is a native born Demacian, he can't fault her for gathering power in an unusual manner. It took her less than six months to become popular enough to dodge the most common political dangers, such as simply disappearing for being unwelcome. Lux is truly an amazing woman. And she has the knowledge, power, and means to help Noxus stay the strongest city state in all of Runeterra! He knows it. His instincts scream that she knows something important to the health of Noxus to him at the top of their lungs.

It doesn't help ease his mental anxieties that there are rumors spreading around the movements of the Black Rose. Oh, he knows that the Black Rose helped Swain rise to power, but he left it at that... standard Noxian politics. However, things seem different now. More sinister and dark then the average ruthless Noxian power plays.

Whispers dark and slick as oil float around the city elite. For the most part he doesn't take stock in rumors, but a lot of them are focused on Swain, Vladimir, and the Black Rose. If too many people believe the rumors, it jeopardizes Swain's position. If anything were to happen to Swain, Noxus would fall into unnecessary chaos. So much of his career has been invested in making Swain Grand General. Anyone who threatens Swain threatens him, and anyone who threatens him, threatens Lux...and well, anyone who puts Lux in danger is as good as dead in his world.

Noxus needs her...he needs her...why won't she let him be there for her, to help solve her problems? ARGH! What have I become? A lovesick moron? If people only knew...Which is part of his problem. He has enemies. If anyone found out how much she means to him, there would be very little he could do to keep her safe from assassins on all sides. His teeth grind together harshly in frustration. Life used to be less complicated before Lux! Less complicated, yes, but better? No. Life was so dull and grey before she came into my life.

Darius's life goal is simple, have Noxus rise tall among all other nations. To be the best of them all, and show Runeterra what true strength really is! For the longest time this meant destroying all that stood between him and that goal. Oh, he had a plan, a plan that he followed to the letter. Part of his plan meant killing anyone corrupt in power who was putting their desires above the needs of Noxus. He removed the tumors from the ruling class, those who put personal gain over the Noxian Glory. Once that part of the plan was complete, he used Swain as his candidate for ruler. At the time, he was the best possible option to be Grand General. After Darius culled the Noxian High Command, there were very few powerful thinkers left. Sure, physical strength makes for good impressions, but a true leader needs to be clever, cunning, and smart. There is more to leadership than the ability to behead a man, you need to behead the right man in the right place at the right time. Darius has that skill...but not on the large scale that Noxus needed him to have. So, he looked for help to fill the role Noxus demanded.

Although, why was it the case that the smartest thinkers were the laziest, greediest bastards Noxus had to offer? No matter, he had made do with the best at the time: Jericho Swain. The man's a tactical genius, but he has some dubious ties. Darius used his military contacts and Swain used his political ones, between the two they made the unified, militarized Noxus that stands strong today. Darius is following his plan to make Noxus rise tall above all other city states. Yet, something nags at the back of his mind. What if Swain didn't use the Black Rose, but rather it was the other way around? What if, instead of putting a strong minded leader into place, he had put up another puppet ruler for the corrupt, who cared for nothing but themselves? Could it be that all of my hard work was for nothing? NOTHING! ARGH!

When he originally lost his bright light, his Luxanna, his life became dull and grey. By turning the world around him red with blood, guts, and military glory, he was able to give his life color and meaning again. He had a purpose. For the longest time he thought he'd reached his goal - a strong Noxus with Swain as Grand General. However, once he found Luxanna again, things changed. She brought so much more to his life than he thought possible, in countless little ways. Yet, with her shining light came illumination of the shadows around him. So many little shadows had crept around him, and with him, Noxus. Since he was so focused on Noxus, he hadn't noticed how many things were just off about the inner politics involving Swain, LeBlanc, Vladimir, and the Black Rose.

Now that he had noticed the shadows, things were getting increasingly stressful. When he first helped put Swain in power, he thought little of the Black Rose, other than as a risky tool to use at the time. However, now he suspects that the Black Rose is more than a mere shady Noxian underworld cult. Black magic cults are like fungus on the underbelly of Noxus, they're everywhere, but more or less manageable with enough hard work to eradicate them every decade or so. Yet, the more he listens to the rumors about the Black Rose, LeBlanc, Vladimir, and Swain, the more deadly tumor-like the Black Rose seems instead of an obnoxious fungus.

They're a cancer in Noxus, and he knows it, but without proof he can't do much about eradicating them. And since Swain has unofficially sanctioned the Black Rose, there is almost nothing he can do against them officially without jeopardizing his position. So far they've been quiet and hidden, content with the stolen scraps of power Swain throws them, but how long will the Black Rose be satisfied with that? And when they want more, what will they do to take and keep it? So many unknown variables as it is, and it's driving him insane! It would help if he could have Lux's assistance with the matter, but no, she's shutting him out on the whole thing. They're married, they're supposed to work as a team, as partners! Not like bickering children who can't agree on anything.

It doesn't help matters that Swain is unhealthily interested in Lux, and what she does in her free time... Just last week Swain approached him, questioning him about his wife's daily habits, activities, and friends. It made him want to squirm at the lack of knowledge he had about Lux's exact whereabouts each day. Surely it was her business what she does in her own free time! He has no right to control her every movement, friend, and activities. Yet, the way Swain talked about her made it seem like Lux was plotting the end of Noxus! Swain made it seem like it was his responsibility to constantly spy on Lux because she is a Demacian! At the end of that oddly threatening conversation, Swain made it clear that any trouble Lux caused would be Darius's direct responsibility, and punishment will be swift and brutal on both of them. The mere thought of Swain enacting Noxian justice on Lux makes his gut sink with dread. And to his great shame, when he went home that night after talking to Swain, the two of them had a huge fight about exactly what Swain was warning him about!

Lux had started to question Swain's integrity as a leader, which was exactly what Swain had been ranting about punishing her for! To Darius's displeasure, he acted out with rage and yelled at her instead of rationally finding out what she wanted. I so rarely have to deal with raw fear, and unpleasant surprises, that I botched things between us! Oh, he never laid a hand on her, but the hurt look in her eyes felt like he had slapped her with all his might. It was the haunted, hurt look in Lux's eyes that drove him from her sight after the argument. He was too ashamed to face her that evening, so he just instructed her not to wait up for him as he left.

However, what he had hoped would give them both time to calm down, instead opened up a new divide between them. Ever since that night, Lux has acted like she doesn't trust him! In Noxus trust is a dangerous thing, but Lux has to trust him. She's just a little Demacian lamb out among the Noxian wolves. And thus, the cycle of needless fighting repeats itself. Surely there has to be a way to stop this petty bickering and have things go back to the way they were before.

"Bro! What's with the long face? Tell Draven your troubles! As your brother it is my duty to see to your health!" Chirped an annoyingly familiar voice from the entrance to his office.

"What are you doing here Draven? Don't you have better things to do then torment me?" Darius growled at him, however, his menacing tone didn't scare off Draven.

"Torment you? Why would I do that? I only want the best for you and Lux! And since your fighting is making her unhappy, her reduced magical flair is affecting my shows. It is paramount that she returns to her happy, cheerful self for the sake of my glory! Finding private time to talk to Lux about such things is like trying find a Voidling in the dark! I can't get near her to talk some sense into her, which leaves you, bro. So, tell me...how can I help?" Draven asks him with an oddly serious voice.

"Fuck off Draven. I don't need advice from a womanizing peacock whose head is stuck so far up his ass he can't see anything other than his own glory hole." Darius growled at him. Of course the only reason he's talking to me is because Lux isn't doing her best for him! Can't he let her have bad days for performances? Maybe a vacation or two? If Lux didn't owe him her life and he wasn't my brother I would have killed him already...but no...

"Darius, chill bro! I know how to solve your woman problems. You obviously need to have some quality time with your wife, give her some nice gifts, and tell her you love her! Do those three things, and wham! All your problems will be solved. I know you've got the quality time down pat," Draven told him, sounding smug. "So all you have to do is..."

"You have no right knowing about my quality time with Lux, and for your information I give her excellent gifts, so go away!" Darius snarled, patience wearing even thinner. He did not need romance advice from Draven!

"Ah! Yes! I know you give her nice things, but have you told her that you love her yet? It is so painfully obvious that you love her, bro. Nothing wrong there! Lux is one fine lady. Her ability to shine bright is only second to my own. Her love for you is painfully obvious as well. Such sickening sweet young love! Almost gives me a stomach ache to watch the two of you together. Now, I know that telling people you love them isn't something Noxians do, but bro, remember Lux isn't Noxian. She's a Demacian born and raised, gushy words of romance are important to Demacians. For the sake of my shows, you need to tell her your feelings. At least once, in private. Plus, I have the perfect gift for you to give her! Tada!" Draven tells him with flair, pulling out a shockingly familiar sight from an inner pocket.

Lux's original wedding ring gleams from Draven's hand. How? Where? When? Damn him! How does he do stuff like that? I couldn't find a mage strong enough to find and fetch the ring, and somehow Draven ends up with it! Weak light gleams off the polished surface, and the blue stone shines softly. Despite whatever happened to it previously, Draven has taken some time to polish the ring. Fast as possible Darius yanked the ring out of his brother's hand. Draven relinquished it with no fuss, his smile wide and smug.

"Where did you get this? I spent a small fortune trying to recover this and now you of all people show up with it!" Darius demanded face turning red with unsuppressed rage.

"I've had it for years, and I've just been waiting for the perfect moment to return it. Keep in mind bro, you're not the only who loves Luxanna Crownguard. If you mess up your marriage with her, I won't give you a second chance to get her back. I'll snatch her up for myself. If you weren't my brother, I would have stolen her already. Now that I've told you how to solve your matrimony problems, I won't hesitate to do what you couldn't - keep her happy." Draven said calmly.

With a mocking bow, Draven turns and leaves without another word. Darius barely managed to keep his mouth from dropping open with shock at his brother's audacity! How dare that pompous asshole consider taking Lux from me! I can keep her happy just fine! I do not need empty threats right now. A tiny part of him refused to consider that Draven might seriously be a threat for his wife's attention. Still, perhaps Draven might be right about one thing. Lux certainly isn't very happy with him right now. Plus, she is Demacian and they place value on needless mushy words. Maybe, just maybe following Draven's advice will get Lux to forgive him. That perhaps things will go back to the way they were before their big fight.

Absentmindedly, Darius sits down in his office chair as thoughts of Lux smiling at him fill his head. One hand rubs against the stubble on his face while the other hand holds the ring at eye level. If he keeps his admittance of love private, one little love confession couldn't hurt his career that badly. After all, Lux's long lasting happiness is important to him. Overcoming a bit of his pride is worth her smile, and continued contentment. Eyebrows furrowed deep with future plans starting formation, Darius starts to think out the perfect moment to tell his wife that he loves her. Time to head home, and see if he can manage at least some sleep.

/

Awareness hits Darius instantly. Something is very wrong, Lux is missing! One moment his wife was sound asleep next to him, the next moment she's gone! Where is she?! One hand roughly shoves the blankets off the bed, while the other reaches for the light switch. Lux is nowhere to be found in the bedroom! Shit! Shit! Shit! Now is not the time for panic! Focus! Quickly getting dressed, Darius looks around for signs of a struggle. Nothing seems to be out of place. Still, he keeps his axe nearby. Being a light sleeper is a thing of pride for him. There is no way Lux could have gotten out of bed without waking him up! Surely something bad has happened to her. As he strides out of their room, he turns towards the servant's hallway. Maybe Landra knows something? A small notecard is sticking out from under Landra's door.

Rapidly Darius picks it up, and recognizes Lux's neat handwriting. A low hiss escapes his lips. Hot rage climbs up and down his neck. Sharp pains of embarrassment spike in his gut. The reason why he didn't wake up when Lux left the bed is because she put a spell on him! She tricked me! How dare she?! Uncertainty gnaws at him. It isn't often Darius feels this kind of weakness. Conflicting thoughts and emotions bombard him. A steady headache pounds his temple fiercely. Which is the worst part of this morning? The fact that his wife, whom he trusted wholehearted, bespelled him against his will? Is it the concept that such an act would upset him as much as it is? Or the mere thought that Lux wouldn't want him to be a part of her morning to the point she had to force him into slumber? The two of us need to talk, and the sooner the better! This is unacceptable!

Deliberately placing the traitorous notecard back under the door, Darius returns to his bedroom to plot. Absentmindedly he locks the door behind him. Slumping down in his work chair, Darius rests his axe against his desk. Fingers tap his desk in a fast rhythm. Time and time again rage pushes against his senses. Teeth pressing tightly together, Darius starts breathing deeply and evenly. As his fingers tapping slows into a methodical beat, he works out the best time of time to talk to Lux.

This is an important issue. It can't wait until after he is done with work. Today is a paperwork day, he can afford to be late to the office. Draven's show can wait! It'll do his brother good to realize that he can't monopolize all of his wife's precious time. Darius will talk with Lux where she works, instead of waiting for her to come home. Once he makes up his mind, Darius summons Samsin.

"Samsin, please have a page tell Corporal Jaykez that I will be late to the office today. I have important business to take care of in the city." Darius does not elaborate any further.

"As you wish, Lord Darius. Shall I have breakfast brought up for you? The usual, or something different today?" Samsin replies back, voice respectful.

"The usual will do. Dismissed." Darius growls back. Samsin gives him a deep bow before leaving.

Once Darius finishes his breakfast, he gets dressed in his favorite battle armor. Nothing like familiarity for comfort when going into a battle. Everyone stays far out of his way as he strides down the narrow streets. People give him plenty of room, despite the streets starting to become rather full with morning traffic. No one stops him entering the backstage area of the arena. Carefully placing himself near the entrance Lux uses, he waits for his wife. What seems like an eternity later, she walks into the backstage area head held high. She seems to be completely oblivious to his presence. Without bothering to warn her, he steps directly into her path.

"Oof! The hell Darius?!" Lux snaps at him annoyed at his interrupting her.

"Where have you been?" He asks, forcing himself to not scream likes he wants.

"I've been wandering around Noxus helping people out. Nothing for you to be concerned about." Lux replies, voice polite but without sounds of regret at all the headache she's caused. Swain's voice echoes in his brain at that moment, echoing his displeasure at the lack of knowledge on Lux daily routine. Muscles in his gut tighten painfully. One of his hands grip her arm firmly, stopping her from leaving before he's finished getting his answers.

"It is my concern when my wife goes AWOL. The only way you could have gotten out of bed without me noticing is if you put a spell on me. No one tricks me with magic to get their way." Darius says softly. What he really wants to do is hold her tight for scaring him, for having the audacity to be okay after he spent part of his day in near blind panic.

"I didn't mean to trick you like that! I woke up early brooding. I didn't want to wake you by thinking too loudly. So I put you into a deeper slumber while I got of bed. The spell was promptly removed once I was far enough away that I wouldn't wake you. You need your sleep. You have trust me not to do anything stupid! To you or myself!" Lux snarls back at him.

Lux's harsh words slap him across the face like a whip. He hadn't thought of it that way, and now he feels pretty foolish. Instead of trusting Lux's judgment he went around acting like a moron. Darius knows he owes her an apology, but he can't give it to her in a place like this! I'm an idiot. What was I thinking? As reason starts to fill him, he stands frozen, staring deep into her topaz blue eyes. Hot emotion dances through them like a raging river. She's so beautiful when she's emotional like this. Aburptly he releases her arm, afraid that he may have unintentionally hurt her. Before he can catch her, and steady her, she readies herself. Quickly she breaks eye contact and marches away from him, back straight with rage. As he watches her walk away, he spots a ring of bruises around her arm where he had held onto her. No…I hurt her…FUCK!

A snarl of rage at his idiotic actions escape his lips. Slamming the doorframe with all his might on his way out, Darius starts to plot his next move. The time isn't right for him to admit his love for Lux out loud, but he can plan a special day for the two of them. The sooner he can apologize, the better! Tomorrow he will spend the entire day lavishing his

~Mysterious Person's PoV someplace far from Noxus~

A thin wisp of a man wrapped in faded, ragged clothing leans against his bonds. Thick chains without a spec of rust keep a tight grip on his neck, hands, and feet. Sickly green runes encircle the neck chain, forcing foul magic to be pouring constantly into him. Not much muscle is left on the man, it has been some time since his last meal. Yet, despite a lack of food and water, something keeps him alive. His captors like to think it is the foul magic bound in his bonds. Yet, a deep burning desire remains alive in his eyes. He has not given up hope of rescue. More importantly, he isn't giving up on his plans of revenge and a glorious return!

His prison cell has no natural light. The blazing rays of the sun have not touched his pale skin in many a year. Only on the rare times his captors come to torment him, does he get the barest glimpses of hextech generated light. Early on in his captivity, they would come frequently to mock him. Harsh, mocking words would echo around him. Often, they would spit on him as an attempt to offer him a drink. Awful, twisting magic keeps him alive without food or drink, but his throat burns for water. His gut still aches for food. It is their deadly mistake to not kill him! Once he finds a way out, he will exact the most glorious of revenges! Their screams of pain will echo for months as he stands above them, fully restored to power. Somehow he will escape. Surely his family hasn't given him up for dead.

No, his men would not leave him here to rot for eternity. He has followers who will hunt for him for the rest of their lives! Eventually he will be found, and revenge will be his. If only the damned fools would hurry up and arrive.

Sounds suddenly echo off of the chambers around him. It has been so long since he has heard the voices of others. Is the voices friend or foe? Straining all that he can, he listens desperately for more information. Recognition of the voices would be the best, perhaps the sound of a familiar Noxian accent? The sounds are getting louder, closer, harsher in tone! Suddenly bright flashes of spells bounce through the room illuminating it like the sun. He doesn't know the spells that went by, he was blinded by the suddenly brightness.

A long agonizing scream of pain and despair flood the room. Someone is dying in pain. The strength of vindication brings a smile to his face. He knows that voice, it belongs to that traitorous bitch, LeBlanc. Finally! Rescue! He is saved! Noxus will rise strong again with his freedom! Soft footsteps echo around him. A cool hand touches his face, brushing aside his long, long bangs. There is no longer any spell light, he cannot see who saves him.

"You're safe now. Here, have something to drink. Slowly!" A soothing, melodic female voice assures him. He does not remember this voice! This miraculous voice does not belong to any Noxian nobility. Who?

However, he could careless who the person is! A lip of a water canteen gently presses against his lips. Water! Glorious, sweet, cold water dribbles down his parched throat. Greedily, he sucks at the fluid. Gentle fingers press a soft, mushy substance at him. FOOD! She is feeding him! Whoever this is will be praised a hero among Noxians! Everyone should bow down at her feet! And if they don't, they can have a talk with his daggers. Only a Noxian Saint would do this for him.

"T-thank you. W-who are you?" He gasps out, desperate for more information once his hunger and thirst is sated.

A dim, dim orb of faint blue light appears in front of him. It is coming from a staff. The staff is Noxian made, he can tell by the designs. Yet, the angel who yields looks like no Noxian he has ever laid eyes on. In fact, she looks mightily like a Demacian would. Long blond hair frames, bright blue eyes set in a dainty face. Whoever she is, Demacian, Noxian, Shuriman, or otherwise, is a goddess of beauty!

"I'm Lux. I'm General Darius's wife. You remember the current Hand of Noxus?" She says softly, voice almost sad sounding.

"Yes, yes. I know of him. How is Noxus? How are the Du Couteau's? Is Jericho Swain still in power? Is a man named Talon with you?" He gasps out.

"Noxus is rising strong. Swain is dead. And the Du Couteau's remain strong still. And Talon…" She reassuring, yet pausing when it comes to Talon.

"Surely he is not dead!" He cries out in alarm.

"No, he's fine. Talon just happens to be a poro right now. I left him very safe and sound in an exotic pet store a few towns over." Lux tells him with remarkably straight face.

"What?" He exclaims harshly, demanding an explanation.

"Well you see it is like this…." Lux starts to explain.


	18. TLJ2

Chapter Text

Dim light from a nearby hextech lamp is the only illumination in the room. Darius paces back and forth across his bedroom floor deep in thought. In his right hand is Lux's original wedding ring. Even in the dim light it gleams brightly. It has been a couple weeks since he got advice from Draven. Every chance he gets in private, Darius will practice saying those three words out loud.

It has gotten easier to say them out loud. Finally feeling confident enough to tell Lux that he loves her, Darius started to look for the perfect moment to tell her. The perfect moment needs to be private and romantic. So far the best chances he has had are gone. One their wedding night would have been the best time. Twice now he's had the perfect moment, only to blow it without even realising it!

A thought hits him hard. What if there is no perfect moment? Pausing in his furious pacing, Darius thinks on this. Time is wasting and the longer he waits to tell Lux the more she'll drift away from him. Something feeling like a stone settles in his gut. It isn't too late to tell her already is it? Surely she loves him, and wants to be him even after all their recent fighting? He'll just have to make the moment happen, even if it isn't a perfect moment. Losing Lux from his life is just too terrible to contemplate. Tonight would work out just fine. He'll have a special dinner waiting for her. After they eat, play their customary games of chess, but before he gets intimate, he'll let her know. Give her the ring as testament to his words. Then make passionate love to her all night long. Pleased with this plan, Darius smirks.

Briefly Darius glances down at the floor. His expensive red Mount Taragon rug is already showing signs of wear. Not as much as he was expecting, however. It looks like a servant has been magically repairing the wear and tear on it. Kneeling down to get a better look, Darius inspects the rug. Where there should be a stain from a passionate night of lovemaking to Lux is now gone. A bit of a pity really. It was a fun reminder of a great night. Still, it is expensive and would be difficult to replace. Yes, he should reward his staff with a raise. They've adjusted to the changes Lux brought rather nicely.

Gently petting the ring into a small side pocket, Darius starts to head out the door. Samsin should be in the servant's lounge around now. There are preparations he'll need help with. For that matter, Samsin needs a rather large raise. The man has proven invaluable at acquiring rare apples to surprise Lux with. And that exotic rose soap his servant recommended also turned out useful. The look of surprise and following lovemaking Lux gave him after getting that particular soap still makes him feel warm on the inside. Something about that look of just joy and awe in his wife's eyes when he gives her something she really wants just is beyond value.

Just as he turns to leave a faint rustling sound fills the room. Darius is no longer alone. Instincts screaming he grabs his axe. No one is visible in the faint light. A sickenly sweet scent fills his nose. His intruder is female then, and stupid. If he can smell her like this she is no expert assassin.

"Relax. I'm not here to kill you, General Darius." A slick voice says to him from his right.

Seemingly appearing from the empty shadows appears Cassiopeia. Her reptile eyes gleam with malice, and a smirk is across her lips. Uncertain why that snake would be here, in his home, Darius doesn't lower his axe. No bothering to reply to her comments, Darius grips his axe tight.

"Be gone snake. If I didn't have things to do, I would kill you for coming into my domain uninvited." Darius tells her with a pleasant tone, green eyes cold.

"Tsk, tsk. That is no way to treat an ally, or a lady. I come bearing news of your wife Lux. I can't help but overhear the secrets she tells my darling sister. I mean, she is over at my place just about daily...aren't you curious to what she is doing?" Cassiopeia replies with a smug tone.

"My wife's business is her own. Get out." Darius answers back, voice growing cold like his eyes.

"Oh, but this involves the safety of Noxus! I only want the best for our city state. If you don't want to hear what I have to say, I can always go to General Swain…" Cassiopeia says with a shrug.

"Make it quick." Darius growls not wanting to deal with ever poison Cassiopeia will spill into Swain's ear.

"Hmm, I knew you were smart. In a moment of weakness Lux confessed to Ka-..." Before Cassiopeia could continue Darius dashes forward.

Carefully Darius presses his axe against the snake's throat. Only a single drop of blood is drawn. No matter how important Cassiopeia's rumor is, no one gets away with calling Lux weak!

"My wife is not weak." Darius snarls.

"How naive you are! Lux told my darling Katarina that she is unable to kill with her magic. Haven't you even wondered why Luxanna Crownguard never went into battle? All that power, and not one single record of a kill. Once people learn to exploit this weakness, she will never be safe. Not even you can protect someone like that." Cassiopeia says eyes glowing with victory.

"Go! You're nothing but a lying piece of shit! I'd kill you for that slander, but the cost to clean my carpet is too high. It is worth more than you." Darius growls low and dangerous.

"I can see that I am not welcome. I will be on my way. Farewell, Hand of Noxus." Cassiopeia tells him with a mocking tone.

Darius just lets Cassiopeia leave. No matter how much he tries to shove those poisonous words from his mind, they refuse to grant him peace. Something about her words ring true. Why hasn't Lux ever fought in battle? She is a powerful mage. He isn't certain what disturbs him more. The fact that she is currently defenseless, or that she told Katarina instead of him! Surely that snake is lying. Just trying to drive a wedge between him and Lux. He'll just have to ask Lux when she gets home.

The chance to tell Lux he loves is ruined for tonight. Now his number one priority is proving Cassiopeia's lies. Should there be any truth to that snake's foul words, he'll need to find ways to keep Lux safe. Damn, the snake is right about Lux never being safe if she really is helpless. However, she has to be lying! After all, Lux is still alive today...surely she's killed at least one person? Even if he can't think of a single instance of this. What seems like an eternity later Lux comes dashing into their room out of breath.

"Luxanna we need to talk." Darius tells Lux with attempting to keep his tone neutral, and failing.

"Yes we do! But Darius you need to listen to me and..." Lux tries to say in a rush.

Darius stares at Lux with a cold feeling consuming him. Something is dreadfully wrong. Lux is very upset. However, the need to prove that snake wrong is overwhelming all other desires. He has to know that Lux is safe.

"Is it true that you're disabled? That you can't kill without magic, please me tell that..." Darius asks desperate to keep the shame out of his voice.

"KATARINA TOLD YOU THAT?! SHE PROMISED ME..." Lux screams out in dismay face growing red.

Everything in his world suddenly froze. Those awful words rip into his soul. Darius clenches his fists tight emotions boiling up. At first fear slams into him hard. Cassiopeia didn't lie! Lux is in danger at all times. There is no way he could possibly keep her safe. Close behind the fear is agony at her betrayal. Why didn't she tell him this? Out of all the people in Runeterra, why did she trust Katarina instead of him? Didn't she love him enough to trust him to protect her? Finally all consuming rage takes over. Unable to handle the fear and hurt, he defaults to the familiar rage that has served him so well over the years.

"WHAT?! YOU TOLD KATARINA BUT NOT ME YOU...YOU...You...ARGH! Traitor! How could I have trusted you?! You're a threat to Noxus! With all that you know you're too risky to be let outside on your own! Stupid woman! You are now to be under watch at all time. I will have a guard assigned to you right away and..." Darius screams at her desperate to keep her from harm, even at the cost to her dignity.

Words burst from his lips without any thought being put into them. Darius doesn't care what he is saying all he has to do is gain some sort of control to keep things from collapsing. Parts of him know that he will his hitting below the belt. He doesn't care, all that matters is the tempst in his soul.

"IDIOT! WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME?! I do NOT need a guard! We have to leave right and now...You have to trust me and..." Lux screams back at him.

"You lied to me! You trusted that traitorous bitch Katarina before me! How can I trust you? You've put all of Noxus in danger with your foolish, stupid risk taking! You will have an armed escort with you at all times! Starting tomorrow morning! I will have one ready for you before you leave the house!" Darius hollers back at her, refusing to budge the all consuming fear and rage in his heart.  
"HAH! Do you honestly think that a mere soldier could keep track of me! An armed guard is useless, I can lose one in moments! I can take care of myself! Now you've to got listen to me and..." Lux taunts at him furthering fueling his fear and rage.

"You're right about that. You're too treacherous for a mere soldier to keep track of your magic. However, you're also weak hearted. If any soldier I assign to you, loses sight of you...I will have them executed for failing orders. Their lives will be on your hands. Now let's..."Darius growls out desperate to prove that he will keep safe even when she isn't acting rational.

"ARGH! I DON'T HAVE TIME THIS! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU! I'M LEAVING!" Lux screams at the top of her lungs.

Lux's words hit him hard, stunning him. No...she can't leave...NO! Frantic to stop her, Darius lunges reaching for her wrist. Horror fills him as she slips away and through the open door. Before he can follow her out the door it slams shut in his face. Unprepared for this Darius slams into it. Even over the sound of his heavy breathing and pounding heart he can hear the sound of his wife's footsteps growing fainter. Teeth clamping down he slams his entire weight against the door. It shudders a tiny bit at his effort but doesn't break.

"NO! LUX! COME BACK! PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME! I DIDN'T MEAN IT! I'M SORRY!" Darius screams at the top of his lungs hopeful to get Lux to come back.

Only silence answers back. Lux doesn't turn around and unlock the door. With a thud Darius falls to his knees. His hands over his face as even more chaotic emotions fill him. Word by word he replays the conversation in his mind. Every replay causes despair to spike. How could he have been so...stupid? It didn't matter that Lux told Katarina first. What matters is her happiness and safety. She came to him needing his help. Instead of listening to Lux, and helping like he should...he said those terrible words to her. He failed her. Now Lux is out on the street of Noxus without him...helpless...he will never forgive himself if anything bad happens to her. Time stretches on endless. Finally the door unlocks.

"LUX!" Darius yells but instead before him is a very solemn Samsin.

"My Lord, you are needed in the High Command right away. General Swain has been assassinated. There is an emergency meeting taking place to stem the chaos." Samsin informs him.

"Damn it! Samsin no matter what I am doing, let me know if you see my wife!" Darius orders him as he prepares for the meeting.

Only the complete collapse of Noxus could prevent him for searching for Lux. Unfortunately this is exactly what is happening. Smoke and embers are billowing high the sky in front of him. It didn't take long for him to change into his formal armor and head out. If he remembers correctly, the fire is taking place in what used to be Swain's personal chambers. He can't keep Lux safe if Noxus isn't safe. In order to have a home for his wife to come back to, Noxus needs his immediate attention. However, the instant he finds out what happened he is going out to find Lux and fix his mistakes.

One of the servants serving the Noxus High Command ushers him into a secluded meeting room. It is notable that Lord Vladimir and Emilia LeBlanc are both missing. Neither Talon, Cassiopeia, nor Katarina are present. However, they are currently not active leaders in the Noxus High Command. Darius is the last to arrive. One by one people give their reports.

Things are grim. Swain was killed by a rather nasty type of snake venom. However, the way he died isn't the problem. In the search for clues on his killers documents were discovered. Without Swain's magic actively keeping them secret certain files became available. A core group of Noxian nobles paired up with the Black Rose had been planning the downfall of Noxus. Even the basics of the changes they wanted to enact would have destroyed their way of life as they know it. What they wanted as to create a haven of foul magic without regard to anything else. Not the continued growth of Noxus, not expansion, nothing but corruption is what they sought.

All of them agreed that if the average Noxian found out the truth of Swain's treachery to Noxus it would be bad. Political stability is crucial for the sake of strength. In this moment of weakness they need to stand strong together. If Demacia found out about this division in leadership, not even the peace with the Institute could keep them from invading. All it would takes is one chance to strike at them while weak for the destruction of Noxus. No, for the sake of unity Swain's hidden agenda will remain hidden from the public. Still a manhunt for all members of the Black Rose will take place.

"We need a new Grand General right away. The longer we go without one, the more we open ourselves to weakness and attack." One of the senior commanders mutters out loud.

"I agree. If any knowledge of the Black Rose seeps out to the public before we have a new leader, people will riot. It won't take long for our enemies to strike at us. Normally the traditional method of finding suitable replacements would be preferred. But we don't have the time…" Another one comments.

"I nominate General Darius. As The Hand of Noxus, he is perfect for the role. He's popular with the populace. Draven can help keep the rabble happy with the following executions of the Black Rose. The Blood Brothers will keep Noxus strong." A third person mentions.

"..." Darius remains silent as he listens to the direction of the conversation stones forming in his gut.

"I second this motion. I also nominate General Darius to become our next Grand General." Someone else speaks up, echoing this thought.

Murmurs of agreement ripple through the assorted group of generals, commanders, and other Noxus High Command. The responsibility being forced on his shoulders rubs at Darius. Yet, he knows them to speak the truth. At the moment he is the best person for the job. Now is the time to act.

"I accept. However, I will only be Grand General temporarily. Noxus needs me and I will act for the strength of Noxus. There are better men, or women, for the job. Once this crisis is past I will step down. I want all soldiers on active duty in the streets as of five minutes ago. No one will riot in my city. Put out orders for all members of the Black Rose to have gold bounties put on their head. Any members who were nobility or former Noxus High Command get to go to Draven for public execution. The only assassin Noxus has with snake poison potent enough to kill Swain is Cassiopeia Du Couteau. And her family has known to dislike Swain. At all costs she is to be captured alive. We need someone to take the fall. She's the best option we have currently. Now I need to think. Everyone is dismissed." Darius commands voice carefully kept neutral.

Once the room is completely emptied Darius smashes his fist against a table. Splinters of wood scatter across the room. Of all the times for this to happen! Why did it have to happen while Lux is not with him? At least he has the chance to properly interrogate Cassiopeia. Darius doubts that she actually killed Swain. However, she knows things he doesn't. It will be bring him happiness to take out of his rage against her. There is no way her timing informing him of Lux is coincidence with the events that took place tonight.

Despite all of his hard work Darius does not get to return home for three full days. Part of it is not wanting to return to an empty bed. Another part of it is trying to piece together the puzzle of the Black Rose. A lot of his time is spent pouring over documents. There is a lot of knowledge the Grand General has access too he did not before. Also all of the hidden documents Swain had tucked throughout his personal chambers needed to be examined. More than once he would have given up a pound of flesh to have Lux at his side. Not to just make sure she is safe, but because Swain was a mage. His knowledge of spell work is limited, and lot of Swain's notes involve magic.

Lux's expertise a mage would be invaluable at the moment! Surely she could translate this scrawl of what are spells. None of the mages he has access too can fully understand what exactly the Black Rose was up to. Everyone he consults however, agree that it was bad and best not touched. Several key people of interest are missing as well. Cassiopeia Du Couteau, Elise, Emilia LeBlanc, Vladimir, and Sion are among the most notable missing. It doesn't help that Lux has not returned. So far he has fended off most conspiracies about her involvement as her being a kidnap victim. Thankfully she's fairly popular, most people don't want to think that she would actively harm Noxus. There are still people who say otherwise. Those people he hands over to Draven if they make the mistake of slandering his wife's name in his presence.

One finger taps against his desk. A pleasant pinging noise is produced with each impatient tap. Darius's new desk is a very solid mixture of materials, some of which he isn't certain the makeup of. A miracle of modern hextech he was informed. One of his new aides gave it to him after he broke the third desk provided to him upon not hearing any news about the location of his wife. Soon he will have to go home and attend the business building at his estate. In the rush to elect him Grand General no one bothered to replace his old job in the military. Until he finds a suitable replacement for Grand General, he does both jobs. There isn't anyone he trusts to do either job properly.

One perk to not having any free time is not forced to deal with the despair about Lux. With each passing day she doesn't return, a dagger of of hot emotions digs deeper in his heart. When he goes home, he'll be forced to deal with the emotions. Darius does not want to return to their bedroom, where he last saw her. Until she returns, he will have to deal with an empty bed. More daunting than his now lonelier home is the fear that he drove Lux away for good. Even if she is safe, what if she doesn't want to return to him? A growl escapes his throat. Now is not the time to think about his emotions! There is a job that needs to be done, and the man he asked for is late. A single rap against his office door informs of his guest.

"You asked for me Grand General?" Talon says voice completely devoid of any emotion.

"You're late Talon." Darius replies back, keeping the annoyance out of his voice.

"You don't hold command over me. Part of my contract directly states that I only answer to Marcus Du Couteau. You are not him...sir." Talon answers back with an indifferent shrug of his shoulders.

"That is true. You are not directly under my command, but that does mean I do not require some of your unique talents." Darius explains back keeping his growing impatience at Talon's lack of respect in check.

"I have no time for you, sir. I only came because ignoring your summons would look bad on the Du Couteau's." Talon tells him with a smirk.

"Ah, yes...things are looking rather bad for the Du Couteau's currently. Cassiopeia has rather badly botched the family name. It would be a pity if Marcus returned to find himself without title, belongings, estate or living blood relatives." Darius replies with a smug tone.

"You wouldn't." Talon snarls at him, eyes narrowing with open disgust.

"Oh, I would. Rather happily in fact. My dislike of the Du Couteau family is well known. I have come across proof of Cassiopeia's treachery. By all rights I can have her killed. I can also kill Katarina for failure to keep her sister in check...her father promised. It wouldn't take too much effort on my part to take control of all the Du Couteau family assets for the betterment of Noxus. But it doesn't have to work that way." Darius informs Talon with a growing grin.

"What do you want?" Talon growls in response, but he doesn't continue to leave.

"I want to make sure my wife is safe and sound. You will find her, and return her to me alive and well. If you fail, I will destroy the Du Couteau family. Marcus will have nothing to return to. Should you succeed, I'm sure that the evidence against Cassiopeia will get destroyed. Marcus can return home to both his daughters alive." Darius replies back with a friendly grin.

Of course Darius is lying about some things. He has no solid proof against Cassiopeia, but Talon can't know that. Nor did he promise the safety of Cassiopeia. When he finds that snake, she will have a lengthy talk with his axe. However, if Talon succeeds, he will do his limited best to keep something for Marcus to come home to. If the man isn't dead already. Talon should be fine since Lux truly can't kill anyone with her magic he'll make it back in one piece. Should Lux prove to actual lethal, well that is a relief. The world could do with fewer Du Couteau's in his opinion, Talon's death wouldn't really bother him that much.

"Dismissed." Darius informs Talon, with a small wave of his hand at the door.

Tonight marks the three night since Lux left. As Talon disappears out the door, Darius glances at a clock. It is late, well past twenty hundred. Servants bring him meals, but he hasn't showered in four days. Not to mention sleep in a real bed. Hell, it would be nice to get any sleep longer than four hours. Time to face his inner demons and head home. He's neglected his estate long enough. Samsin may be one of the best, but even he isn't prepared for something like this.

By the time he reaches home only a few lights are lit in the streets. Samsin greets him at the door with a bow. Perched in his hands is a platter of food. Hmm, yes, time to give Samsin a raise Darius decides silently as he starts to eat the offered food. Informed that a bath is all ready for him, Darius dismisses Samsin for the evening. Green eyes focused on the bath, Darius skirts around the very large Lux-less bed. It hits hard, that she isn't here to greet him. That is something he'd grown accustomed to, having a wife to come home to.

Hot water soaks against his sore skin. Darius is not used to the hectic schedule he's been faced with. But then again, he chose that work on purpose. If he isn't busy he starts to feel. Now he can no longer run from his emotions. They have to be dealt with if he wants to continue to do his best for both Noxus, and Lux. A faint smell of rose scented soap reaches his nostrils. Memories of Lux slam into his heart. He misses everything about her, more than he thought possible. Sure, he's not had her near by before this, but every time before it was temporary. All he had to do was come home from work, and she would be here. Worst of all, it is his fault she is gone. If only he hadn't been so dense! Lux would still here with him if he hadn't overreacted like a jealous idiot.

When Talon brings her home, he will remedy that. There are things he has to say to her. First among them an apology. Following that Darius will let her know how much he loves her. Surely, she won't leave him again if she knows how important she is to him? That he needs her by his side? Not only that, Noxus needs her. Gods, where did things go so wrong? If only he knew what she was so worried about. Damned it to all! She'd tell that spellbook of hers more than she would tell him.

Wait! That's it! Her journal! If she didn't take it with her when she left, he could read. Darius has refrained from reading it to keep Lux happy. How many times has he been tempted to read it so he find out what is bothering Lux so badly? Now he has the chance! Lux isn't here to get mad at him when he reads it. From its pages he'll learn the truth, and he'll be able to better fix the gap between them. Without all the uncertainties he can't make a blind mistake. Even though Lux put a password on it, he knows it. Sometimes Darius will get home early. He enjoys spending a few moments just watching Lux.

One of the things he has observed is the saying and hand movement Lux always makes when opening her spellbook. Her password is really kind of cute actually. 'Apple pie is tasty, but Darius tastes better,' is what she'd say while making a certain movement with her right hand and index finger. More than once he's been tempted to tease her about it. However, knowledge is power, and he doesn't give up power easily. Now is one of the times he's glad he didn't reveal he knows it particular secret. As his muscles relax Darius lets out a yawn. Eyelids feeling heavy, Darius heaves himself out of the bath.

Not even bothering to dry off, Darius flops down on the bed. Sleep grips him swifty dragging him under its influence. All of dreams have a familiar smile and brilliant blue eyes. This is as close to Lux he's come in days, he'll take it. Even dream Lux is better than his current barren reality. While in his sleep he pulls a pillow against his chest attempting to fill the gap in his heart, attempting to replace a familiar presence.

~~~Lux PoV~~~

As the sixth day dawns bright Lux rubs her eyes. Perhaps she hadn't thought this plan as well as she could have. In her rush to find LeBlanc she left Noxus without proper supplies. Thankfully she knew of some edible plants, and a water purifying spell for water. Still, a cooked meal and bed would be divine! Alas, such things cost more gold then she has on hand. There is surprisingly little in her satchel. Something she will need to fix when she returns to Noxus. An image of dark green eyes and confident smirk come to mind. Darius is Noxus, and she isn't ready to deal with him yet. Mentally shoving all thoughts of her husband from her mind, Lux gets ready for the road.

Blue eyes scan the horizon. To the best of her memory of the local geography, she is about four days away from the Institute of War. What little clues both magical and physical hint that LeBlanc is headed towards there. Not the safest place for Lux to be. Just about getting spotting by any Demacian will prove messy. There is a death warrant on her head after all. Once her cloak is properly obscuring her face, Lux goes back to walking down the dusty road.

Nothing remotely edible is within reach. Faint pangs of hunger poke at her stomach. One hand reaches into her satchel and pulls out a smooth pebble. Carefully Lux wets with it her tongue before placing in her mouth. Although it doesn't provide actual water, it helps stimulate her spit so she doesn't feel so parched. It would be better if she had gum. Alas, that is a supply she left behind. Next time she goes on a mission across the land without her influential husband, and his seemingly bottomless purse, she will be better prepared! It is taking longer to travel the land by foot then she first anticipated. Next time will be different!

A soft breeze blows against her cheek. Mingled in with it is the scent of a city. Faint smells of cooked foods, smoke, and human waste reach her nose. It is out of her way. A growl escapes her stomach. Perhaps a detour wouldn't be such a bad idea after all! If she is really lucky, she can find a store that sells week old bread on discount. Most towns in this part of Runeterra have a public well she can make use of. Mind made up, Lux changes the direction of her travel.

Gradually tall golden fields of hay give way to forests. At the very edge of the forest is what appears to be a wall. Shade from the trees will be pleasant compared to the hot sun. Once the first fingers of shadows cover her back Lux starts to slow. At some point recently she picked up a follower. She doubts it to be a local. Lux's instincts scream that someone is hunting her. Fervently wishing for her light wand she causally places her left hand over a dagger. It shouldn't surprise her that someone is after her. It wouldn't be like Darius to let her be in danger without him there to 'protect' her somehow. Damn the man! Memories of their fight spring to mind. Can't think of that now! I need to focus! Without slowing down, Lux continues her march towards the town.

Considering that her tracker is Noxian, they'll probably try to ambush her in the forest, or the city. That is closer to the terrain they would have been trained in after all. Briefly Lux wonders who Darius ordered to retrieve her. No matter! They will be sent back with their tail between their legs. She will prove that she can handle herself. The closer she reaches the view of the city's outer walls, the stronger the sensation of being followed grows. A tiny smirk crosses her face. Lux finally recognizes the faint techniques given off by her follower. Somehow Talon had been conscripted into finding her! An idea crosses her mind. Perhaps there will be a way for Lux to afford a good meal after all.

Plan forming in her mind, Lux makes her preparations. It wouldn't do to have witnesses for this! After all, that would spoil the plan. Without warning Lux leaves the main path behind. Carefully she weaves a path through the thickening forest on the West side of the town. Once she loses complete sight of the town she starts to mentally countdown. If Talon follows his usual tracking patterns, he will try to ambush her in exactly...three...two...one…One very familiar blade suddenly rests against her throat.

"Hello Talon." Lux says slowly, careful not to get too close to the knife on her neck.

"You are so troublesome. You have two options. We do this the nice way, and you come with me peacefully. The second option is the hard way. Do not make me cut you, it will make your husband upset at me. But I will do what I must." Talon informs her voice smug.

"Very well." Lux answers.

Even before the blade can relax away from her skin Lux casts the spell. Poof! Where Talon had been standing is now an empty pile of clothes. Well, almost empty. In the center is one poro. A very shocked looking poro. One of the interesting spells she stole from Lulu was a transformation spell. Unlike the limitations placed on Lulu by the magic on the Fields of Justice, this spell will last much, much longer. Gently Lux picks up the stunned poro and holds him up to eye level. All she is a lot of angry sounding poro noises. That happen to be adorable! Perfect, I know what exactly what to do with him. Even mad poro's are cute.

"Calm down Talon! I won't hurt you, I promise. I just happen to need supplies, and well...here you show up...and...I'm sorry." Lux tries to explain, however, the faces the tiny Talon poro are just too cute!

Firmly Lux places a hold spell on Talon. No need for him to run away from her! She has plans for him. Neatly Lux separates his belongings into piles based on usefulness with her free hand. One blond eyebrow rises high at finding a small stash of condoms. Who knew Talon got around like that? She certainly didn't need those! However, his supplies of travel rations, water, and gold will prove very useful. Still he doesn't have enough gold on his person for her to reach the Institute of War in relative comfort. Hopefully Talon forgives her for the second part of her plan. Well, he'll not kill her once she completes part of her mission at the Institute.

Once Lux has all of the supplies she wants tucked away in her satchel, she gathers the rest up in a jumble. However, there is one thing she leaves behind in the forest hidden carefully under a log. Talon's favorite blade is left behind. No need to give him additional reason to want her dead by the end of the day! The least she can do is keep his favorite blade safe.

Captive Talon can't escape her spell. He stopped struggling, but he still lets out a loud stream of adorable noises in complaint. With a smile and nod, Lux has no trouble walking past the wall guard. It takes some time but she finally finds the particular store she is looking for. Every town at this size or larger has a pawn shop. Not wanting to cause any alarm with the shop owner Lux puts a silence spell on Talon. It isn't the average customer coming in selling goods with a noisy poro. Lux does not want to draw any more attention to herself then already gathered. It takes her about an half an hour of fierce haggling over the value of Talon's clothing, weapons, and various other odds 'n ends before Lux is content with the final price.

"Geez Talon, what does Katarina pay you? Except for your daggers, your clothes almost weren't worth pawning." Lux mutters under breath.

Now that Lux is more secure in her supplies and gold amount she looks for the next shop she needs. Normally a town this size won't have one. There is still hope for finding an Exotic Pet Store, however. This place isn't that far from a major crossroads, an exotic animal merchant may have set up a shop here. If not? Well, then, she'll just have to settle for less than the amount of a gold a pet poro will normally fetch. A grin crosses her face as she turns around away from the main square. Three buildings down from the main square is exactly the kind of store she is looking for. Talon, although now a poro is keeping fast track on his surroundings. He starts to squirm when he spots their destination.

Despite Lux's most charming attempts to sell off Talon poro for a fetching price, he proves too temperamental to be worth much. As cute and popular poros make as pets, a loud rambunctious one isn't very appealing. With a small wave of her fingers she waves goodbye to now despondent Talon. If her calculations on the spell are correct it should wear off in about a week or more. There are several variables involved that determine the exact duration, however, it should last long enough for her purposes.

Secure in her funds, Lux makes a straight line for the nearest tavern. It is tempting to make up a magical illusion to cover her looks with, but she needs to be traced. Part of her plan involves Talon catching up to her. If she wants him to that there at the correct time, he needs to be able to track her. Properly outfitted means that disappearing into thin air is now possible with higher chances of complete success. No, she'll need Talon's help once she reaches the Institute of War. Just about any Noxian sent after her would do the job she needs done, but considering it Talon was the one sent after her makes it perfect. She loves it when a plan comes together!

Quickly her eyes scan the menu the waitress provides her. After ordering a hot meal of soup, bread, cheese, a slice of apple pie, and apple juice, Lux starts to plot further ahead. LeBlanc has to be stopped before she can recruit more mages for the Black Rose. One benefit of exploring the older parts of the Institute, Lux has a fairly good idea of what areas are hiding important objects. More importantly, there is one specific room that is most likely holding a certain person of interest to her. While gathering secrets Lux had gathered bits and pieces about Marcus Du Couteau.

Unlike most of the Noxus High Command, Marcus knew a lot about Central Power System. What he knew exactly Lux isn't certain, but more than most. It is a common rumor that the Black Rose caused Marcus to disappear near the completion of the Institute. It is highly probable that LeBlanc is headed towards her last remaining secure source of knowledge on her target. Among the knowledge Marcus holds, he'd make for a valuable hostage against Noxus. By saving Marcus from Emilia Lux earns a highly valuable piece on her Chess Board by making him an alley. Plus, it will soothe over Talon's rage at her. By passing on the responsibility of taking Marcus safely back to Noxus, Lux fulfills one of Talon's greatest desires. It will secure him and Katarina as friendly pieces. Cassiopeia will still prove difficult, but with most of the Du Couteau holding her in high regards, it limits some of the damage Cassiopeia can dish out.

While enjoying the taste of cooked food, Lux plans ahead for her battle with LeBlanc. Carefully she remembers each nook and cranny of the Institute. After that Lux reviews all the spells LeBlanc has shown mastery over. Next she goes over all the spells that LeBlanc was rumored to know. Only taking a quick moment to buy supplies for the road Lux wastes no time. Still reviewing her knowledge of LeBlanc, Lux continues her journey to the Institute properly prepared. With care Lux leaves a few bread crumbs for Talon to follow before leaving the village entirely.

Back on the open road Lux quickly changes her appearance with a spell. Content with her safety to walk in the open, Lux thinks out a counter to all of LeBlanc's spells. Not all of them can be directly countered! Those she will just have to ready to flat out dodge in a hurry. Lux eats her lunch on the road not stopping to rest. It isn't until the sun is firmly set beyond the horizon that she stops for a place to sleep. Upon searching beside the road for a couple miles she finds suitable shelter for the night. A nest of grass, leaves, and a few ferns make up her bed. Settling down for the night a burning desire consumes her. If only she had a weapon! What in Runeterra happened to that Light Wand?! Lux has deliberately not thought about the instances leading up her to being declared An Avatar of Noxus.

Suddenly her hands start to glow. A heat burns in her hands. Hot enough to hurt, but not enough to burn the very wand in question appears in her hands. A familiar shaft of black stone covered in intricate red markings, capped with blood gold rests in her hands. It really happened! This time the wand doesn't speak to her. Yet it is actually warm in her hands and vibrates very softy. There is no doubt in her mind, there is a living element to this light wand. Like her old one it weighs exactly the same. Power buzzes through her fingers and into the wand. Unlike her old light wand this feels almost wicked. This is no simple tool for her to control, what is in her hands is a weapon that should be treated with extreme caution. However, now she is properly armed! For the first time in months Lux is armed with her weapon of choice. LeBlanc won't know what hit her! After setting up a barrier spell to protect her while she sleeps, Lux drifts into slumber.

Exactly like the last time Lux was in this part of the Institute dust and cobwebs of impressive sizes litter corners, window wells, door frames, and the ceiling. Rusty doors barely seem to hang onto their hinges. However there is a certain door with both impressive magical locks and mundane locks that she is after. Not afraid of disturbing Fiddlesticks, Lux starts to work at unlocking the door in front of her. It wasn't hard to sneak into the Institute. Nor was it hard to reach the specific door she seeks. LeBlanc didn't bother to hide her tracks. Her footprints are clearly visible in the dusty hallways. It takes time, but eventually Lux manages to pick both the mechanical and magical locks on the door in complete silence.

Adjusting her vision to have a spell to see in complete darkness Lux slinks into the room. Far in front of her is LeBlanc. So far she hasn't noticed Lux's entrance yet. Good! A flick of her fingers shots her snare from the light wand. Unlike her snare from the previous wand, this one is different. Bands of black and gold magic whip out like electricity before twisting around Emilia. The magics crackles, hisses, and snaps like a living creature.

"How dare you! The likes of you will not bring about the fall of the Black Rose!" LeBlanc snarls at her magic coming to life at the tip of her staff.

"I may not be able bring about the fall of the Black Rose. But I did end Swain and Vladimir. Now it is your turn. You fucked with the wrong mage's love and family Emilia." Lux replies back voice calm.

"Ha! The likes of you pitiful Demacian couldn't possibly handle Vlad, much less Jericho. You lie. You're just buying time until backup arrives." LeBlanc taunts back unafraid.

"I do not lie. Vladimir died to poison thrown by my hand. You know certain toxins interact with blood causing instant congealing. Then I made sure he didn't revive by setting him on fire. He was in tunnel C1 doing that consummation spell. As to Jericho Swain...he wasn't the challenge. The trick was destroying the form of Beatrice." Lux responds back, smile growing at the look of despair on LeBlanc's face.

"You will pay for that!" LeBlanc screams breaking free of the snare.

A glowing ball of purple fire comes dashing at Lux. Her prismatic barrier comes to life at the barest movement of her wand. Similar to the snare, the looks of her standard shield are different. Shimmering bubbles of gold, red, and black transparent light surround her. Impossible bright illumination fills the room as the two spells collide. The power from this wand is more noticeable than her last wand, however. Had she been using her previous weapon there would have been damage taken. Instead Lux takes zero damage. For reasons Lux didn't entirely understand fully, the wand would add power to her spells independant of her own magical input to the spell.

Blinding brightness surrounds her. With a push of her magic, Lux extends the blinding light a bit longer. Even though she can't see much in front of her, Lux can sense Emilia's magic. It fills the air like a stench. Zeroing in LeBlanc's back Lux pulls out dagger with her left hand. If she doesn't get in the killing blow, she will lose this battle! If LeBlanc splits and her clone appears she will escape in the resulting chaos. It is important that she sever the spinal cord with her first strike. If only she could kill with magic directly! Sweat forms on her forehead. Hand steady Lux prepares to aim for Emilia's exposed neck.

Something unexpected happens. The room is still filled with blinding light. However Lux's view of the room shifts. Almost as if she has an additional pair of eyes not dependent on light for vision, Lux can see everything clearly. Two layers of reality are visible in front of her. What matters, however, is her now clear view of Emilia. Blood splatters into her eyes as her daggers slides in. With a grunt of effort Lux twists the dagger destroying the all important spine.

Emilia falls to the ground no longer able to stand. Painful screams escape her throat. Soon her screams fade to gurgles. Shortly after that she body stops breathing. That doesn't stop her blood from spreading out in an growing pool. Now that unpleasant business is taken care of, time to take care of Marcus.

It doesn't take long for Lux to find the thin wisp of a man wrapped in faded, ragged clothing chained to the wall. As she studies the magic keeping him alive, Lux winces inside. That exact spell has been used on her before. It is not pleasant at all. For the briefest moment Lux wishes she had more resources to punish LeBlanc for using such a nasty spell.

"You're safe now. Here, have something to drink. Slowly!" Lux tells Marcus soothingly.

One hand frees of the chains while the other offers him something to drink. At the moment all she has is some stale water. Greedily he guzzles at the fluids. Content that he isn't going to die with the removal of the spell, Lux starts to offer him some cold porridge.

"T-thank you. W-who are you?" Marcus gasps out at her.

Summoning the dimmest light spell she knows, Lux casts light on the two of them. Oddly enough, the light spell isn't a different color. It appears as the traditional blue she is accustomed to. She is going to need to spend some serious time researching the ins and outs of this new light wand works differently.

"I'm Lux. I'm General Darius's wife. You remember the current Hand of Noxus?" Lux tells Marcus her basic identity, and her relation to Noxus.

"Yes, yes. I know of him. How is Noxus? How are the Du Couteau's? Is Jericho Swain still in power? Is a man named Talon with you?" Marcus pleads.

"Noxus is rising strong. Swain is dead. And the Du Couteau's remain strong still. And Talon…" Lux explains about Swain but pauses at what to say about Talon.

"Surely he is not dead!" Marcus cries out.

"No, he's fine. Talon just happens to be a poro right now. I left him very safe and sound in an exotic pet store a few towns over." Lux manages to tell him with a straight expression on her face.

"What?" Marcus exclaims harshly, demanding an explanation from her.

"Well you see it is like this…." Lux starts to explain.

It takes her a few minutes to fill him in the latest details. Luckily he seems more amused at her using Talon for funds in a harmless manner. Lux thought she was healthy, but carrying most of Marcus's weight towards the exit is proving hard. However, Talon is due to arrive at anytime.

"You bitch I'm going to kill you!" A familiar voices screams at her as the two of them leave the room together.

"TALON STAND DOWN!" Marcus barks out voice rough.

Skidding to a stop, dagger mere inches from Lux's left eye is Talon. Thank you Marcus! I hadn't thought Talon would attempt to kill me that quickly. Mentally adjusting her knowledge of Talon around Lux gives off a small smirk at his shocked expression.

"General Marcus...I…" Talon sputters.

"Talon this woman you foolish attempted to kill saved my life. You are now under orders to never harm her. Any threat to her person is to dealt with swiftly." Marcus orders voice breaking.

Quickly Lux pulls out her water bottle and offers it to Marcus. Talon reaches around her, and helps Marcus drink as well. Several gulps later Marcus is ready to talk. Lux returns his knowing smile before giving a smirk to Talon.

"Very well General Marcus." Talon answers back.

"Talon, would you please take him? He's heavy I don't want to drop him and…" Before Lux can finish her sentence she finds the man lifted from her shoulder.

"Before you can cause me any more grief let's go home…" Talon growls at Lux.

With that Lux gives both Marcus and Talon a polite bow. Now is the time to make her exit. Activating her invisibility spell Lux runs for the nearest exit. Behind her Talon starts to curse loudly. Something that sounds like laughter comes from Marcus. The moment Lux reaches a more populated hallway she puts on an illusion spell changing her looks. Pleased with that, she drops the invisibility spell. Confident strides take her far from the Institute of War. Before she can go home, back to Darius and Noxus, she needs to learn what exactly is up with this new light wand. And what exactly does being an Avatar of something mean exactly? She can't go back to Darius unable to answer his questions. Unable to prove her worth. The start of her journey has only just started.


	19. TLJ3

~Darius PoV~

Thunder rumbles low and ominous, reminding the citizens of Noxus that the heavy fall rain is coming. Darius rubs the stubble of hair on his chin thoughts being drawn to the present moment. While he was just a general, albeit a high rank one, weather wasn't something he really had to plan around. Now that he is Grand General, everything that potentially affects Noxus needs to be considered. Such as the upcoming colder, damper weather. Instincts honed in battle give him an edge while attacking. Very little of his knowledge from war apply directly to managing a city.

One of the unforeseen problems of having a ruler suddenly killed off, is they have no time to leave notes for the successor. Hell, considering how the Grand General before Swain was killed off, it is a serious problem here. He should make a law for future generals of Noxus to leave notes for their predecessors. The notes Swain would have left would be a very interesting read to sure!

Though, considering the trouble Jericho Swain was brewing in Noxus, the notes he would have left behind probably wouldn't help much. Thunder booms louder, his office windows rattle from the force of the win. Lux would know how to handle the weather. A subject Lux kept up on is Urban Planning, and planning around the weather is part of that topic. Fond memories of watching his wife read, oblivious to the world, spring to mind. Just as quickly as her face comes into focus, stabs of pain jolt through him. She hasn't even been gone two weeks, and it feels like eternity. Hmmm, in fact, it has been long enough that Talon should have returned by now.

A small smirk forms on Darius's lips. Only thing could slow down one of Noxian's top assassins, and that challenge is wife. It wouldn't be a huge loss if Lux disposed of Talon in some fashion. However, it would mean he would need to find another person to find her. A rough mental shove pushed all thoughts of Lux from his mind. What could he say if Lux returned to a ruined Noxus? Lux will return to a superior Noxus! If Darius fails Noxus, he also fails Lux. Both options are unacceptable. Again he forces thoughts of his wife aside.

Rain starts pattering down against his window. ARGH! The damned weather! How does one prep a city for weather like this?! Surely there are guides somewhere he can use for advice. Darius knows full well that Noxus has survived countless rainy autumns before. However, it is common knowledge that if the City isn't prepared for the torrential downpour it proves fatal. If anyone Lux cares for dies while the city is under his watch...NO! Darius shoves roughly away from his desk. No matter how much he tries, he can't keep Lux out of his thoughts. Noxus needs his full focus right now. As such, he is useless currently with his thoughts wandering so far.

Absentmindedly Darius shuffles his various documents into tidy piles. Next he settles a waterproof cloak over his head and shoulders. Axe firm in his hands, he turns off the hextech lamps and heads back to his estate. Cold rain falls from the sky, backed by a chill breeze. Window shutters rattle, fighting to stay closed. Darius notes that no one is on the streets currently. Anyone with a grain of common sense is indoors. Boots splashing through puddles, Darius puts his thoughts on the problem at hand. He can't stop thinking about his wife. Ever since he had been put in charge, he'd kept just about all thoughts of her at bay. Perhaps he should dedicate some time to just figuring out his wife. After he's come to some resolution about circumstances of her departure, he should be able to focus on keeping Noxus strong. Luckily, he has some idea on where to find answers.

Short as the walk is to his office, the driving wind makes it much, much longer. Samsin greets him at the main entrance. One day Darius needs to find out how in the hell Samsin tracks him. His stewards knowledge of Darius's routine is eerie at times. Only the customary greeting is exchanged between them. Per usual, a pot of steaming tea is waiting for him in his study. A single teacup is perched nearby. Exactly three cubes of sugar, and small cup of milk is ready to be added to his brew. As he heads towards his private desk, Darius carefully sheds his armor.

His favorite black and red robe is draped over the arm of his chair. Before the chill can set in, he puts on the warm robe. No longer dripping water, Darius takes a moment to sip the tea after adding some sugar and milk. One of the rarer blends from Ionia! Truly a treat to have on such a dreary day. Gradually his mind clears from the fog brought on by his job. Green eyes are drawn to the top drawer in his desk. It has a special lock on it. One of the few objects completely dependant on magic instead of hextech, it is an impressive piece.

Right on top of the stack of papers in that drawer is Lux's spellbook. Darius has a feeling deep in his gut, that answers he seeks are in that book. However, he isn't certain if the answers he'll find are happy ones. Slowly he withdraws it from the desk. Green eyes close, as Darius brings fully to mind the memory he needs.

"Apple pie is tasty, but Darius tastes better." Darius chants while his index finger traces a complex rune onto the top of the spellbook. Without any ceremony, the book lets out a faint click, and the lock holding it closed, slowly releases.

Before his eyes is Lux's intricate handwriting. Greedily his eyes read all before him, eager to find the answers he seeks. Only pausing to sip tea, he reads over the pages. Lux's worries, fears, and despair come through clear. More than once he winces at the things written down. So much of their quarrels could have been avoided if they just talked about things. Darius makes note to converse more often with his wife about her troubles in the future. It never dawned on him just how insecure Lux felt! She always seemed so confident, ready to take on anything. Yet, that was just a mask she put on for the world to see. A mask he never really bothered to look past often. How well does he actually know Lux? Just how far does the light she give off travel?

Shame creeps into his heart at the entry about her fears on Swain, and how she tried to talk to him about it. Darius takes careful note of that entry's date. Mentally ruffling through his memories, he cringes as the time lines become clear. Lux discovered the Black Rose's treachery, and Swain's involvement. Lux had tried to talk to him about it, but he didn't listen. Which is really the start of their needless fighting. Yes, for Darius to keep Lux in his life, he has got to work on his listening skills! Another thing he needs to work hard on, soothing her insecurities about how he feels about her. Draven's smug voice pipes up in his head, taunting him with "Told you! Draven is always right, bro!"

Teeth grind tight at the fact Draven has such a good understanding of Lux's inner emotions. Just telling Lux, outloud, how much she means to him would soothe so many of her fears! An urge to punch Draven flows through his veins. His left fist flexes a couple times, as he resists the temptation to hit something. Draven may be the most annoying person Darius knows, however, Lux owes him her life. If it weren't Draven, then Lux wouldn't have come back from that disaster with her father. Once the desire to smash something fades, Darius finishes reading the spellbook.

Parts of him regret not reading it sooner. However, doing so would have meant betraying Lux's trust. Since he'd lost it with that last argument, it didn't matter as much. An odd part of the journal was the section going over Lux's training at the Du Couteau's. Something about the entries seemed rather off. Unable to place his finger on the exact issue, Darius closes the spellbook. Dawn is approaching, and he has a long day ahead of him. However, he's Grand General he can shift around his schedule.

A meeting with Katarina is a must. The whole situation why Lux told Katarina her secret seems fishy. He'll have a much better understanding once he finds out exactly what transpired between the two of them. Alas, it also means he'll break any promises he made to Talon about that snake's safety. Not that keeping his word to a Du Couteau means anything! No, finding the truth about his wife's exchange with Katarina, and the oddly annotated notes on her training are a top priority.


	20. TLJ4

~Darius PoV~

Green eyes stare back at Darius, his reflection in the mirror almost a stranger. Stubble grows on his face, almost growing thick enough to be called a beard. The streak of white in his black hair is noticeably larger, with more hints of grey. Muscles still ripple beneath his clothing and armor, but he is less massive than he was just a few weeks ago. Perhaps the greatest difference is his eyes. A haunted look lurks deep in his emerald eyes, a look that recently returned. A broken piece of him, he'd thought gone forever when he found Lux again. The solution? When he finds Lux again, and he _will_ , is not repeat that mistake. Upon reading his wife's journal cover to cover several times, Darius has made some very solid plans on how to prevent such issues in the future. Oh, he isn't as smart as Lux is, but he is more stubborn, plus he can learn. _ARGH!_

Darius yanks his wandering thoughts back to the issue at hand.

After several failed attempts at getting a private meeting with Katarina, he finally got one. Darius may be the Grand General, but he still has to follow political bullshit. Urgency at finding the truth aside, overturning the tradition entrenched in Noxian nobility is no easy task. Now that he has an official meeting with the Du Couteaus, he needs to be presentable. One hand grabs his neglected hairbrush. Curses escape his lips as he tames the tangles in his hair. His gaze is drawn to the stubble he noticed earlier on his chin. When Lux was with him, it was never an issue. Lux did not like kissing stubble covered skin, so he kept his face smooth. All it took is one scowl from his wife after a kissing session to cement that hygiene lesson! _Not again! FOCUS!_ Darius grabs his stray thoughts, pulling them back to the current task.

Bit by bit, Darius grooms himself to the point where his appearance is suitable for political nonsense. One of his servants has kept his armor in pristine condition. An order he did not give, but was carried out anyway. Briefly, he makes a mental note to thank Samsin for it. Normally he takes care of his own armor and weaponry. Since becoming Grand General his free time has shrunk. It does not help that he pours almost all of his spare time into thinking about Lux. Something he needs to change is his time management. When Lux is back in his life, like is proper, he wants her to be impressed. Slacking in his duties is not impressive. _Damn it to Demacia and back! FOCUS!_

Long, confident strides carry him out of his room, and down the hallway. Everything in his home is exactly in place. Not a single picture frame is crooked. Dust is nonexistent. All the floors are polished, rugs spotless, and every corner is cobweb free. His house smells clean as well, like furniture polish and wax. It screams to him that Lux is not here. How often would he spot muddy bootprints on the floor, after Lux returned from her forays out into Noxus? Lux would often protect spider webs from needless cleaning. "Spiders are an important part of the ecosystem!" Lux would often chide him, whenever he tried to clear away the pesky webs. "Yes, but our home is not an ecosystem!" Darius would scold, a mock frown on his face. "Leave them alone, please? For me?" Lux always replied, an equally fake puppy dog look on her face. Another thing missing is the constant smells from the kitchen. Lux kept the kitchen staff on their toes! As a mage, she constantly burns calories while working magic. Also, Lux would feed any strays that came to the back door. Animals, people, and various other 'riffraff' claiming to know Lux, constantly came begging for scraps. She would always feed them with a smile on her face. As well as asking for the latest gossip.

Darius pauses for a brief second. Now that Lux is gone, is his household still feeding Lux's strays? He'll have to make sure Samsin is continuing to do so. It would not do to have her come home, and find her pet projects hungry! That servant who followed Lux, from Demacia, would be perfect for that role. Having a reason to pay her other than "It would make Lux sad!" if he didn't would be nice too. Again forcing his mind and body onto the task at hand, Darius continues his journey to the Du Couteaus'. Despite the drenching fall rains, he is walking to the Du Couteaus'. He owns some very impressive hextech umbrellas that should keep him dry. Not only does walking help him stay fit, he has a chance to observe the state of Noxus with his own eyes. Reports are good, but having real time information is vital.

Every citizen he passes, Darius acknowledges with a nod of his head. That is a lesson he learned in the military, however, the importance of using it with everyday citizens got hammered in upon reading Lux's thoughts on the matter. Each person he passes on his walk stops in their tracks and salutes him. That sparks a bit of pride in him. As Grand General he is entitled to salutes, but they aren't mandatory unless the citizen is active in the military.

Swain himself didn't receive such praise! He got the bare minimum in respect from the common Noxian. Darius now knows that a part of their devotion is inspired by the actions of his wife. Lux spent a lot of time working to improve their lives. By extension, he gets part of the respect they bestow on Lux. As Grand General, he earns their respect day by day, with his every action. An idea springs to mind. After reading her journal, he has intimate knowledge of Lux's pet projects among his people. By furthering his wife's efforts, in her name, he can help maintain the systems she put in place. The sheer number of plans Lux made and implemented in the short time she spent in Noxus is mind boggling! All of them are for the good of Noxus, but still… she showed him her Chessboard, but he didn't really see the scope at the time.

There are few things that actually make him pause with wonder, but the depth of Lux's plans is one. One more reason to fix their marital problems, and communications issues. Not having Lux working for Noxus is an unpleasant thought! If she were anyone else, he'd need to have her killed. Such a threat to Noxus cannot be tolerated. Thankfully, Lux is on the side of Noxus. _Is she though? After such a big faux pas on my part? Did I drive her away AND create a danger to Noxus?_ Such dark thoughts try to sneak into his heart. _How grave is his mistake by not trusting Lux?_

Thankfully, before his thoughts continue to sink into that abyss of despair, he arrives at his destination. Darius looks over the foreboding residence of the Du Couteaus. Something about it seems different. Not that he passes by this rats' den often, but it does seem off. Another little thing pulling his attention away from the important task at hand! Damn that whole family to Demacia and back! Nothing but a thorn in his side, the entire lot of them. A servant dressed in complete formal wear greets him by the gate. _Odd? I didn't know that they still had servants doing such tasks? Something is going on here!_

"Welcome Grand General Darius. The Du Couteaus will meet with you in the Master's Study. Follow me, if you would." Each word the servant speaks is full of pride, and his back is rigid in posture. Not a single thread is out of place on his formal uniform.

"Good," Darius says in reply, barely keeping the growl from his voice.

Tingles go up and down his spine as he walks through the front gardens. Again, something is out of place! Before, the gardens had been barely maintained. Now it is immaculate. Not a weed to found, grass lush, and all litter from the plants off the ground. Darius slowly shifts his grip on his axe. Instead of holding it for comfortable traveling, it is in the ready position. Anyone who dares attempt to assassinate him will not live!

As he approaches the main entrance, the doors open for him. Graciously, Darius lets the servant enter first. Green eyes take note of every shadow. Knuckles turn white, his axe swinging slightly, as he walks through the front doors. Fresh sunshine greets him from the windows, which are cleaned spotless. _That is it!_ Before, the windows were always kept hidden by heavy curtains. Someone has put the Du Couteau household back in working order. Something that has not happened since General Marcus Du Couteau vanished. Is it possible that the man returned after all these years? Something to ponder, indeed! It would completely ruin his blackmail plans against Talon.

Carefully maintaining his distance from the servant, Darius keeps a sharp lookout for any hidden dangers. It is possible that his sudden meeting with Katarina is just an elaborate trap. Not that he would object entirely if they did attempt to kill him. It would provide valid grounds to kill them all. After passing several corridors, he arrives at the Master's Study. With a flourish, the twin doors open. The servant beckons him to enter, but does not go in himself. Darius walks in, full confidence in his stride. Yet, his hands grip his axe tightly, ready to strike at any threat. No one attacks him as the doors close behind him, but sure enough, something dangerous lurks ahead.

General Marcus Du Couteau nods his head in greeting him. One of Darius's eyebrows arch in surprise, but is quickly covered up by a smirk. _Oh? So this is how the games will go?_ Both generals look each other in the eyes, accessing the other. Marcus is thin and pale, wrinkles of time creased all over his skin. One of his hands rests heavily on a black cane, capped with ornate copper. Still, Darius knows the man is a ruthless killer, extremely skilled with the blade. In fact, Darius would not be surprised if there is a blade, or three, hidden in that cane. Completely still, like guardian statues, Talon and Katarina stand behind their father. Both of them have blank expressions, not giving up a hint of the game Marcus is playing. A shiver goes down Darius's spine at the sight of Talon. That bastard should be tracking his wife, not here with Marcus! Unless Lux has something to do with his return? What is his wife plotting now?

"A pleasure to finally see you face to face, Grand General Darius. I must say, it is an honor. Come, sit. We have much to discuss. Take a seat. Relax! It does not benefit me to kill you. You are safe in my home," Marcus tells him with a crooked smile.

Without turning his back to them, Darius takes a seat close to the exit. He has no reason to doubt Marcus. Still, caution is always wise while working Noxus politics. Even as Grand General he is not safe from harm among his own people. Everyone has enemies. But is Marcus friend or foe?

"Your caution is wise but unnecessary. I owe your wife a great debt. You shall come to no harm from me, or my own," Marcus informs him, crooked smile curving into something smoother.

"All of yours? Can you honestly vouch for _all_ your children general?" Darius shoots back, voice calm. His green eyes are a stormy sea of emotion. He wants Cassiopeia dead! She is not safe from him! And to hell with politics if Marcus interferes with his plans. Silence fills the room. Tension crackles like static among the occupants.

"I apologize. My youngest daughter did cause a lot of grief, being the main suspect in Swain's assassination. Not to mention, other personal issues unique to you. Cassiopeia will be dealt with. You have my word on it," Marcus answers back, smile fading from his face. Wrinkles seem to grow in number as the smile retreats.

"I'm here to have words with Katarina. Privacy is required," Darius growls, voice dropping in annoyance. This is not going how he wanted!

"We have plans to discuss with you as well. Whatever you need to say to Katarina, can be said with us present," Marcus replies, voice remaining level and calm. A glint of steel is in those old grey eyes, throwing back a challenge. Tension returns, thick and heavy.

"Father, Darius is stubborn. He doesn't understand compromise. It's amazing Lux even looked at him twice. I wonder how he forced her to marry him?" Katarina speaks up, smirk crossing her face as Darius' face turns red.

"Ha! _Lux_ is the treacherous one. More like how did she trick Darius into marrying _her_?" Talon comments, a thoughtful look partially revealed from under his heavy hood. As Darius turns an even darker shade of red, a smirk graces Talon's lips as well.

"I'm not here to discuss why Lux married me. Cassiopeia told me about Lux conversing with Katarina about secrets that are essential to the security of Noxus. To the safety of my wife. Katarina and Talon had been teaching my wife who knows what behind my back. I demand to know what they were doing. And to hell with the lot of you. I will see you all in ruins if you keep me from my wife." Darius snarls his reasoning at them.

"What," Talon and Marcus exclaim together confusion mirroring on their faces.

"You are mistaken Darius. However, I believe my sister is to blame here. Yes, I know about Lux's security issue. She did not tell me. Garen told me about her 'issue', because he wanted me to keep an eye on her. The training we were giving her is basic assassin lessons. Just because she is limited with magic does not mean she is helpless. Interesting enough, she was mastering material about poisons. One of the methods she learned is the exact same used to kill Jericho Swain." Katarina's voice is friendly and soft, not a hint of malice in her tone. Suddenly, Katarina Shunpos from behind her father.

"Do not threaten my family, Darius. I am not afraid of you." Katarina whispers in his ear, blade dangerously close to his throat.

Flexing his arm, Darius aims his elbow at Katarina's exposed stomach. A mocking laugh reaches his ears as Katarina Shunpos out of sight. Closing his green eyes, Darius focuses his hearing. Faint whispers warn of an attack from the right. Axe swings out deflecting a blade aimed at his head. Darius shifts his weight to his right leg, ready to pivot his body weight for a counter attack. _How dare she accuse Lux of such actions! I will have her head on a spike!_

"ENOUGH! Stand down! We are not enemies. Darius, forgive her. This is a stressful time. I owe your wife a debt, I would not rather not waste it by saving you. I have been informed about the efforts you and Lux put into Noxus in my absence. You both want what I want. A strong unified Noxus. Jericho left Noxus weak and vulnerable. By working together we can fix that. Dark times are coming. We must be ready. Noxus will crush any opposition. We can help each other achieve that. In return, I will do what I can to help you with Lux. Now, enough chitter chatter. Time for other issues to be addressed. How is Noxus being prepared for the fall rains?" Marcus snaps out, voice iron clade.

"I am doing my best. There are few records left by previous Grand Generals to guide me. I prefer to command armies, not run Cities." Darius replies back, accepting the olive branch with grace. Slowly, he lets his axe go back to a resting position. Rage will not get him Lux back. Marcus could be a very helpful ally. Also, Lux saved Marcus for a reason. If he kills the man, and his spawn, it would hamper his wife's plans somewhere. He does not need another reason for her to be mad at him! _Fuck, I hate politics._

"Ah, yes. I remember that you were crucial for Jericho's rise to power. You could have easily taken the throne, but deferred to the better ruler. Your men often praised you. I heard many times that you put Noxus before personal gain. I ask that you do so again. Promote me to Grand General, and return back to your previous position. In return, I will manage the city. Things will be arranged for your benefit. Lux will never need to worry about her position in Noxus, despite _past_ circumstances." Marcus explains, voice politely neutral. Grey eyes are devote all emotion. Still the unspoken dagger is against his neck.

Hands clench tight, as Darius studies the situation unfolding before him. Before, he came here with all the power. Now, it is quite evident that he is not the one with all the cards. The implication that Lux might have something to do Swain's death is not subtle. As things stand currently, it would be disastrous if the Du Couteaus came forth with alternate theory for Swain's mysterious death. As popular as Lux is with public, she is not immune from politics. Darius does not like being maneuvered into a corner! _When Lux is back, I will have her deal with you!_ Then again, situations like this is why he deferred leadership to Jericho. Marcus has proven to be an ally, and is debt to Lux. By going along with Marcus' agenda, for _now_ , he will help Noxus, his, and Luxs' future.

"Very well, Grand General Du Couteau. It is a pleasure to work with you. We will make Noxus rise above the rest, together." Darius answers back, before kneeling down on his right knee.

"Excellent. Do not worry Hand of Noxus, I shall see everything made right. When your wife returns, it shall be to a glorious Noxus. Dismissed." Marcus gives Darius a polite nod of his head.

Mind filled with dark thoughts, Darius storms out the door. Things did not go as planned! Still, vital information was provided to him. All he needs to do is process it. Marcus is no threat at the moment. Oh, Darius will keep a close look on him but for the moment he has more important things to think about. Did Lux assassinate Swain? And if she did, what should he do next? Pain spikes in his temples. Darius really wishes Lux was with him. Once she returns, he will make sure nothing gets between again. Until Lux comes back, he needs to help make her plans come to fruit. As well as plant the seeds of his own plans as well.

"The blood sample, please." Marcus orders.

"Here, Grand General," Talon replies back, handing over a razor thin blade tipped with fresh blood.

"No need to be formal, Talon. We're family. Please call me Marcus." Marcus mutters back, finger gathering up the slight drops of Darius' blood. He has plans for Darius. First, he needs to confirm something.

"As you wish." Talon replies, back stiff.

"Why did you need a sample of his blood, father?" Katarina inquires, leaning over her father's shoulder admiring Talon's work.

"I needed it to confirm something. After testing Draven's blood, I was correct about my suspicions...but I wanted to certain about both of them." Marcus explains, as he gently drops the fresh blood onto a testing strip. One of the fancier hextech from Zaun.

"Oh?" Katarina murmurs thoughtfully watching the hextech whirl and hum once it starts examining the blood sample. A deep sigh escapes Marcus's lips as it stops making noises and a green light appears.

"As you know, I did not marry your mother for love. It was purely for the sake of our families. We both had our little side affairs. Shortly after Cass was born, my wife asked for a divorce and disappeared. I suspected that she had fallen in love with one of her many beau's. I had heard rumors that she started another family. Rumors that your grandmother shut down by killing my wife, and her new husband. Still, I wondered if any of her children survived. Now I do not need to wonder. Darius and Draven are her prodigy," Marcus says voice distant and thoughtful.

"Ugh, I'm related to Draven?!" Katarina exclaims with a shriek.

"The hell! I'm related to Darius?!" Talon shouts with an equally distraught tone.

"No need to be upset. Those two being your half siblings will prove useful. Very, very useful. Just wait and see. I have plans for them, and Lux. This just makes it easier to implement." Marcus says with a bark of laughter at the horrified look in his daughter's green eyes. The same emerald gaze shared by her mother, and her two half brothers.


	21. TLJ5

A huff of annoyance escapes Lux's lips. Blue eyes glare at the approaching storm. Tiny flickers of lightning move among the distance clouds, and a howling wind races ahead of the foul weather. Already the crowns all on all of the trees are starting to froth into a frenzy, around her. She's going to need shelter, and soon! Why did she have to leave now, right before the heavy fall rain? A fat, cold raindrop smacks her in the eye. _Not part of the plan!_ One hand removing the offending precipitation off her face, Lux pauses in her march forward. That is the problem! She doesn't have a plan. Not yet, at least. First, shelter! Eyes closing tight, Lux ignores the howl of the wind, and the sensation of rain drops. Magic spreading outwards, seeking some refuge from the now present storm.

Ah! There is a suitable cave close by. Still keeping her eyes shut, Lux navigates the land by her mage senses alone. Everything around her glows in a variety of different colors in the view she uses for magic. Dangerous objects glow in shades of red and brown, where more green colored objects indicate safety.

"Shit!" Lux yelps as she trips over a branch. Barely in time Lux catches herself, scrapping her knuckles raw against the ground. Rain blasts into her face, blinding her. She's spent so long in a city, her skills for traveling in the wilderness are rusty. If she's not careful, she'll get herself killed! Eyebrows draw close, as Lux glares at her now bleeding hands. In them, she pictures her new light wand. Slowly, an outline of the wand flickers in and out in the space near her hands. Rain slams into her back, breaking her concentration. All evidence of the light wand disappears.

Again, Lux brings forth the memory of the light wand. Forcing her palms flat, Lux lets her blood flow freely onto the ground. Only a weakling would die out here, unprepared! No, she's strong. No foul weather will stop her from reaching her goals. Biting down on her lower lip, Lux channels power into her hands. Pain from her teeth pressing against her flesh drives out the distracting cold. Blood wells from under her teeth, eyes only looking at the dancing image of her light wand in her hands. Small red rivers flow down from her mouth, merging with the freezing rain. At last, her efforts are rewarded, and the light wand appears solid in her grasp.

A tiny flick of her wrist causes a prismatic barrier to fly out. Similar to other spells, the colors on this one are different. An interesting mix of reds and golds, instead of her usual faint rainbow colored magic. As the familiar shield floods over her, blocking out the rain Lux forces the barrier to hold. Much drier, Lux stomps forward, starting to go a rocky slope.

Small grey rocks are slick with fall rains. More than once, Lux stumbles on the smooth stones. Yet, she doesn't fall again. Darkness overcomes the land swiftly, the last light of summer sun gone in the wake of fall rain. Barely noticable is an entrance to a small cave. Before entering, Lux pulls up her mage sight again. The best way to check for holes, poisonous critters, and other dangers in poor lighting is this way. Using her light wand, Lux shoos off various insects. Some would be a real danger, most just a nuisance while she wants to sleep.

Deeper into the cave Lux walks. Once she is in the center of the main entrance, she pauses. A long, long time ago she made a small abandoned storeroom a more livable place. She can do the same here! Magic flowing outwards, Lux takes time to seal off leaks from the rain. Although she leaves small chimneys for airflow, she blocks out the source of drafts from various cracks in the walls. A spell to ward off small poisonous animals, insects, and plants is put into place. Next, she places a tiny warming spell in the ground. Shortly afterwards an opaque, view one way barrier is put over the entrance. Relative safety in place, Lux plops down on the floor. One last spell drives any fluid from her person outside. Dry, warm, and secure Lux drifts off to sleep.

Around her the storm rages, bringing forth the fall rains. It still is pouring frigid rain, when Lux wakes up several hours later. Muscles stiff from the hard ground, Lux forces her body to warm up and stretch. Carefully she goes through basic exercise workouts thought in Demacia for outdoor excursions. It only taken three bribes of cherry pie, Garen's favorite, to have him teach her these motions. After her body is limber, Lux paces back and forth.

While the storm is happening at this rate, Lux can't travel long distances safely. Time to make a plan! Before time had been short, for both Noxus and her. Now that she isn't in a rush to save anyone, much less an entire sentient city-state, she can plot her next move. Before she can face her husband, she needs answers. There are so many unknowns about her light wand! What exactly is an Avatar supposed to do? Why did the damned Noxus pick her, a Demacian for Its stupid 'Avatar' role?! Doesn't it know that she already has enough to do.

You could always ask. A dry voice replies in her head.

"I could. And I will." Lux answers back, a shiver running down her spine. An odd glow is coming from her light wand. She strongly suspects that her weapon is talking to her. Such things aren't unheard of, outside of old fairy tales.

And I will tell you everything you need to know. My Avatar must be prepared. It is coming. The voice reassures her.

"What about everything I want to know?" Lux retorts, not letting her weapon play the political half truth half lies game with her.

Some answers you'll need to find on your own. Others you will never learn. But first….you need rest. Your body can not handle too much of my essence yet. We will continue this conversation later. Don't die. I can't promise that my necromancy won't be 100 percent painless if you do. She is informed, each word growing fainter in her mind.

"Wait, what?! My own wand would use necromancy on me? I'm one of the most powerful mages in Runeterra! I can your essence. Hey! I'm talking to you…." Lux growls at the now lightless wand in her hands. A headache starts to press down on her, pain spiking deep in her temples. Grumbling curses nothing in particular, Lux curls back up on the ground. Every breath she takes causes her head to throb. Perhaps is she tired, and maybe, just maybe she will rest. Not because her weapon told her too. But because she wants to rest, to help ease off the headache. It would be a waste of magic to just heal away the pain. Without a plan, Lux needs to be prepared to use a lot of magic at once in defense. Damn it! She never made a plan...but...she'll finish resting. Then she'll make a plan, bossy wand or not!

Unlike before, this time her sleep is filled with dreams. Some of her visions are of home. Green eyes stare deep into her soul. Darius's familiar voice calls out to her, begging her. What does he want? Darius sounds so desperate, so sad right now. Lux's heart lurches at the sound of her husband's voice. Unable to determine a single word he's saying, all she can make out is the tone of his voice. Before she can take any more of his sorrowful voice, her dreams suddenly shift.

Now she is a large desert, with only a few lone rocks in the distance. Shurima, if she had to make an uneducated guess, and with her education this is Shurima. There is no wind, no sound, or sunlight.. Just the endless sands, and deep sense of foreboding. This is a real place, she's certain of it! Suddenly, the sands start to fill up with blood. Sticky, hot red fluid swamps her legs, and starts to drag her under. Frantic Lux tries to escape from the growing flood, but she is unable to free her feet from the now tarry ground. As her head goes under the crimson flow, her dreams change.

Instead of sand, massive glaciers gleam in front of her. Freljord, if she has to make another blind guess to her surroundings. A dark, inky like substance starts to crawl along the frozen ground. It isn't blood, like before, it gives off an equally strong sense of foreboding. This darkness in the ice isn't living like blood, but it moves like it has intelligence. Whatever foul magic is the Freljord is deep under the ice, a living part of the land! Before fingers of the darkness can grab her, Lux starts to run in the opposite direction. Before she can escape, she is yanked into a black abyss.

It is coming. From all sides. Only this time, it isn't told in the voice from before. This time, it sounds like a thousand voices chiming in at once. Whoever is talking to her, is not her light wand. Something else, but not entirely different...A pressure starts to build on her skull. Abruptly Lux wakes up, freeing herself from the dreams. The pressure is still in place, an unpleasant weight on her head. Similar to a headache brought in place from a using too much magic, too fast pounds in rhythm with the rain outside. Lux hasn't suffered such a migraine since she was a small girl, who just discovered she could use magic.

Dreams, as far as Lux knows are not an active use of magical ability. It certainly feels like she used up all her magic in a short amount of time without replenishing anything. That never happens because Lux plans around such problems! Time to make a plan. But, in order to make a successful plan, Lux needs more information. So, she'll make a plan about getting knowledge, to make her next plan. No way is she going to depend on the "truth" from her light wand. The City State of Noxus is a living, plotting thing with an agenda born from the magic, emotions, and blood of Its citizens. Its agenda is not hers. Until she's certain that It won't threaten Darius, then she'll have to treat it as a danger to him. So, again, she can't go home without answers. The only Avatar she knows of is Diana, the Avatar of the Moon. She'll hunt down Diana, and find out what she knows. Hopefully Diana will know something useful. Tentative plan in place, Lux settles back down to sleep. Thankfully, she rests without a single dream.


	22. TLJ6

Regret digs at Lux, digging into the cracks of her doubt. Had she done the right thing by leaving Darius to clean up after her messy exit? As much as she needs answers, there is a lot wrong with her current plan. Or rather, complete lack of one! Successful plans are built upon knowledge. Pain spikes in her stomach, groaning out loud in complaint. All she'd been able to forage for food is some pine nuts. Not the most filling meal. Not once has the fall storms fallen silent, allowing her safe passage.

Lux can't get food, supplies, or knowledge while trapped here! Shivers roll down her spine, goosebumps spreading on exposed flesh. If she doesn't move, she'll end up dead. Since she doesn't have enough supplies to maintain her energy levels, Lux hasn't been able to keep up all the spells she'd like to have for comfort.

Staying put will mean her untimely death, but returning to Noxus means admitting she might be wrong. How can she face Darius like this? After their fight, her throwing Noxian High Command into chaos, and who knows what, what will he have to say to her? Lux nibbles on her upper lip, eyebrows furrowed. Failure is not option, and death is failure.

That means leaving this shelter, and braving the public. Mentally Lux pushes her plans for answers away. Whatever half baked plan she had after killing LeBlanc is not working. Time to admit a temporary setback. Out of all her remaining allies, Janna is her best bet for aide. Hands clenched tight, Lux weighs her options. Small crescents of blood pool upwards from under her fingernails. Defeat is a bitter pill to take, but she'll do it for victory in the end!

Blue eyes flick over to her new weapon. Casually propped against the cave wall, it gleams on its own. Something from within that cursed thing gives off its own light foreign to all the magical rules Lux knows. Shoulders straightening, Lux marches over to her light wand. A quick snap of her fingers whisks it up into her hands. Faint sparkles of gold, red, and black light dances around the wand as she summons it.

"Alright you! Things have got to change. We're going to the Institute of War, and you're going to supply the magic for the teleport. But I'm in charge! You will obey me. You are merely a piece of Noxus, I am the Avatar that wields you. I have no qualms dumping you into a volcano if you get in my way. Got it?" Lip curling upwards, teeth bared at the wand, Lux barks out her commands. Sentient weapon forged from Noxus, or not, she is the one in command! A wry chuckle floats through her mind. Faint sensations of laughter echo in her mind, but following it is a surge of raw power.

Eyes close tight, Lux blocks out the distractions of reality. Now she needs to focus on magic! She will control this power, not the other way around. Tears leak downwards of her clenched eyelids. Molten magic surges in her veins, searing away her very soul. Childish giggles of fiendish glee dance through her mind. Pain arches up her arms, yet her hands seem merged onto the blasted weapon. Agony like nothing she's felt before surrounds her. No, she's felt something worse than this!

The memory of being locked up by her mother floods her. It wasn't the torture that truly hurt her inside, but the knowledge she'd lied to Darius. She promised she'd come back to him! All of her trials, plans, pain and efforts is for the end game. A happy ending with Darius! She will not lose to this! Lux imagines Darius, with his toothy grin, emerald eyes, and wicked laugh. Agony presses harder against her palms, forcing deeper into her. She ran from her mother! She ran from Darius! No more running, even though it hurts! Embracing the power, Lux allows the magic to flow through her. Each nerve burns as the foreign sorcery fights her, yet Lux does not budge.

Using her magic as a brush, she directs the aimlessly flowing power. Breaking up the larger flows into concise, orderly runes. Every single lick of magic from the light wand, Lux changes into something she controls. Bit by bit, she builds from scratch the teleport spell. Visible only to mages, a circles of runic power grow around her. Once she has her platform complete, Lux reaches out to the Institute of War. A rarely used teleportation room should work nicely. Finally in control, she completes the spell issuing the final order.

As Lux opens her eyes, the familiar walls of the Institute of War greet her. Knees wobbly, Lux starts to stagger towards the exit. Thankfully, the room is empty. Still, she can't be certain that it will stay empty for long! One step at a time, Lux forces her way towards the exit. Just as she reaches it, her legs give out. Thump! Landing with a loud crash, Lux hits the ground. Bruises start forming on her, where she hit the hard stone ground. One hand removes dust from her face. Sweat starts pooling on her forehead. She's at her limit. As much as she would like to get to Janna, now, that isn't happening. Too many enemies between her, and Janna. In this shape, she wouldn't stand a chance! Still, at least she knows of places to hide here. Slowly she gets back on her feet. Arm barely supporting her weight, her vision swims rapidly.

"Okay?" A rough voice rumbles near her.

Sapphire eyes flick over to the source of the word. A champion she's never interacted with before is staring at her. Rammus looks deep into her eyes, searching from something. Whatever he sees in her, seems to please him.

"Okay. I help. You follow." Rammus informs her. One of his small hands reaches out, and grasps her.

"J-Janna…I need…" Lux tries explaining that she needs Janna. That she needs help! Too tired to think straight, Lux just follows Rammus' lead. Hopefully he isn't taking her to her death, because she has nothing left to fight with.

More than once, Lux stumbles and falls. With each hard impact with the floor, her vision blurs more and more. Yet, Rammus carefully helps her to her feet, and continues to walk her towards something. Safety, she hopes! Unable to track her process, Lux tries to muster enough thought to make some sort of plan. Rammus' end destination seems to be one of the private workout rooms. Nothing is set for human sized champion, so it must belong him, or a yordle. Lux collapses in the closest excuse for a chair. One armored hand offers her a mana pot. Carefully, Lux looks it over for signs of tampering, or poison. Nothing about it is off, still sealed tight for the Rift. Gratefully, she guzzles it down in one go. Another pot, this time a health one, is handed to her. This one is also deemed safe to consume. Again, she downs it at once without any grace. Polite manners can wait until she's not nearly dead! Gradually starting to feel better, Lux finds herself handed a coarse blanket.

"Okay. Sleep now. I bring Janna. Okay? Sleep." Rammus tells her, his tone not allowing for any arguments.

"Thank you." Lux murmurs as sleep starts to claim her. A feeling that she is safe fills her. Gut instincts inform her that all is well, for now. Sleep first, plans second!


	23. TLJ7

Blissfully blank silence swallowed Lux whole. Sleep without dreams finally came to her, with it deep rest. A few times she thought she heard voices. Whenever she tried to understand what was being said, sleep claimed her again. Awareness hit her with the sun beams of dawn. Slowly sitting up, Lux looked around her. Again there is a gap in her memory! How'd she get here? Last she remembered was the painful exit from that cave...how did she get here? Where is here? What happened? Fear grips her heart at the realization that she in an unknown location. Hands grip the rough wool blankets, ripping them off. Hands gentler than the spring breeze, yet stronger than the winter gales keep her on the bed.

"Whoa there! You're safe Lux. I've got you," Janna told her a faint smile on her face. "You're at the Institute. Whatever magic dropped you here did some rather nasty damage to your body. It was like your body had been burnt from within," Cool fingers brush a lock of blond hair away from Lux's shocked eyes. "Luckily for you, Rammus found you. He fetched me. We almost lost you! I had to put you in a coma to keep your body from shutting down," Janna glanced down at the blankets. Small beads of tears form in her eyes.

"Soraka, bless the gale, helped me heal you. I wasn't strong enough to save you. To repair you. Between us we had to rebuild your body from within. Neither of us have ever seen wounds like that before! Please, don't fight whatever enemy you did ever again. I don't know if you'll survive another attack like that, even with all the healers in Runeterra at your side."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." Lux replied as a weight her stomach. Similar to dropping a stone down a bottomless well, her sense of purpose vanished into the depths. Terror struck her from behind. Chills ran down her spine. She's had brushes with death before, but not like this. Not by her own hand! How can she fight when her own magical weapon nearly killed her?! She really is weak.

Despair started nibbling on the edges of her mind. Droplets of moisture form in her eyes. Soon her vision blurs away. Hands grab hold of the blanket, dragging it up against her chest. How could she have been so stupid? Shoulders dropping, Lux starts to shudder. Sobs escaped her throat, thin frame shaking. Warm arms wrap around her body. Pulled into an embrace Lux just cries on Janna's shoulder. No words are exchanged. Emotions bottled for years pour out. Even after her tears ran dry, Lux still clings to Janna. Glad to have a friend. To be safe for a small moment without any responsibilities.

"Okay?" Rammus asks later. He is nearby, with a tray of food balanced on his head. Twilight is taking away the sun's warm light. Bit by bit daylight leaves the room. Before total darkness takes over hextech lamps come alive. Returning illumination to the darkness.

"Y-yeah. I'm okay. Thanks." One grimy hand rubs away crusty junk from her blue eyes.

Lux gives Rammus a huge smile. How could she have forgotten this simple kindness? Rammus had no reason to help her. He just did it because it was the right thing to do. Janna didn't have to fetch Soraka to save her. For the first time in a long while Lux realizes that she has friends. Friends are not pawns, but real people with feelings. Shame fills her heart at her callous treatment of her friends. Even though she wants to reach victory, Lux realizes that she needs to change how she plays the game.

"Feel better? Now that you've let that all out? You shouldn't keep those kind of feelings smothered like that." Janna admonishes her. The three of them eat together in comfortable silence.

"Janna, why? Why did you tell Darius about...you know. Back then, before all this happened. I don't understand." Lux inquires once her meal is consumed.

"Because you saved me." Janna explains one of her eyebrows rising a bit.

"But saving each other is common on the Fields of Justice! Teamwork is key." Lux grasps for answers. There is something she doesn't know here.

"A long time ago, I was homeless. I barely survived the streets of Zaun. I knew I had magic, but without knowledge my powers were useless. One day a young mage with black hair was visiting Zaun from Noxus. I'd seen her come and go, often between the two cities. She had tomes of magic. She'd been selling them. Although such books are beyond the means I had at the time, she just gave me one," Janna explained. Her voice grew softer and her eyes gazed at a past long gone.

"You gave me that book without asking for anything in return. You gave me the means to get strength. I was able to control the tempest with the knowledge you so freely gave me. After that fateful day, I always hoped I could return the favor. To give you something of equal value. I'd about lost hope of seeing you again, but we had that fateful encounter in the hallway. I recognized you immediately. Your offer of friendship gave me hope. You became my best friend. I owe you the world in ways I can't fully explain." Janna's voice deepened as she continued.

"One day the infamous Blood Brothers joined the League. You acted so odd then! I didn't understand why you ran from them. So I tried to find an answers so I could help you stop running. Why did you run from the Hand of Noxus like that? When you thought no one could see, you looked at him with such yearning. It hurt me. To see your despair. I wanted to ease your pain. Make things right so you'd stop looking at him with agony! The deeper I looked in your past, and the ties you had with Noxus I realized that you loved Darius. So many odd little irregularities about you finally made sense. Those little stories you sometimes told me while drunk. Gaps in your history in the written records. You held those secrets close. When Darius finally confronted me...it gave me the chance to force things on the right path! You should have seen the look in his eyes when he realized who you are! You gave me my future, and I was able to return yours." Janna finished her tale with a smirk. Lux just looked on at her friend mouth literally open.

"Oh." Is all Lux manages to say after processing all that. Slightly embarrassed at her secret being found out, Lux looked away from Janna. A faint blush fills her cheeks.

"Speaking of your future, what happened? Between you and Darius?" Janna prodded, not giving Lux a chance to recover.

"Ummm, it's complicated…" Lux mutters still refusing to look her friend in the eyes. A strong breeze forces her head to swing around. Janna's pale blue eyes stare into hers.

"No. You're being stubborn. I understand that you've been hurt. You have to stop running. You love Darius. Darius loves you. Drop those walls around your heart. Let him in! You two need each other. Let me give you some marriage advice. For a relationship to last there has to be trust. Lux, just trust Darius. He'll never hurt you! And he needs to be able to trust you. Instead of running talk it out," Janna tells her voice serious. Lux is unable to look away from those pale blue eyes staring at her exposed core.

"I tried to but," Lux wants to explain, yet her voice falters. "But it isn't that easy."

"Stop lying to yourself! You're smart, dedicated, and gifted! Instead of giving up at the first big hurdle, look for a solution. Find a way to make it work. If you can't climb your emotional barriers go around them or something. You're good at seeing alternate possibilities. Give yourself a chance to be with him. Life is not easy. Fight for your happiness! The Lux I admire is fully capable of doing so. No excuses," Janna's hand cups Lux's face softening her difficult advice.

"Okay." Lux smiles at Janna. Relieved to know that there are solutions, and that someone believes in her.

"Okay." Rammus confirms looking at them both.

"Any other advice?" Lux inquires hoping that Janna is done.

"Yes! Get a good night's sleep. Wake up tomorrow, take a long hot bath. Once that is done, I've got an idea." Janna's voice turns gleeful. Lux knows that tone, Janna has mischief planned.

"This idea better be good," Lux replies back a smile crosses her face.

"It is! Better in fact then my idea to get Jayce naked for that charity photo shoot." Janna's smile grows larger.

"I'm doomed! Woe! Despair! Someone save me!" Lux throws up a hand, throwing it over her face. With a dramatic flop on her back, Lux pretends to be upset. It has been a long time since she's caused harmless chaos. Janna's ideas usually end with laughter. Time for her to start trusting others. And she'll start with Janna.

"Good night Lux. Sweet dreams. Tomorrow will be a big day!" Janna says with a smile. Swift as the wind Janna leaves the room. Wisps of dust twist in her wake.

"Night Janna!" Lux yells back before resting her head on the pillow. For once, she'll let someone else make plans. For a little bit, she wants her life to be normal. Live like an average mage for just a day. Instead of the burden of power she carries. Enjoy the simple life, before she faces turbulent times. Thankfully, Lux knows she won't face it alone. She has friends by her side, and Darius in her heart. Nothing will stop her from making things right. To reach her happily ever after with Darius.


	24. TLJ8

"Janna this a bad idea!" Lux protests, digging her heels into the floor. Her fingers press hard against her bare arms.

"Of course it's a bad idea! That is what makes it a great plan. Stop worrying, and c'mon! It'll be a riot!" Janna insists a serene smile on her face.

"Bad ideas are not good plans Janna," Lux grumbles, eyes narrowing at her friend. Still, she refuses to budge from her seat on the bed. Silky lengths of blue fabric lie along about her limp, already admitting defeat at being a decent outfit.

"Eating lunch in the Institute cafeteria is a not a bad idea. That is where the good food is! You need more to consume more calories to supplement how much magic you burn," Janna replies back, body floating effortless above the ground. Somehow she always managed to say float on the tiniest gusts of wind.

"I'm a wanted criminal in Demacia. Jarvan put a death warrant out on me. How is going about among the various Demacian champions not a bad idea?!" Lux whips out a finger and makings a guillotine movement with it.

"First off, this is not Demacia. These halls are neutral ground for people all places. That is part of how it works. No killing off the Fields of Justice. Demacia agreed to the laws of peace that govern here. Jarvan may be a thick at times, but he is a good ruler. I doubt he'd risk the backlash if someone attacked you. If anyone attempts to follow that moronic order here, it would mean war. Plus, it would be the downfall of Demacian honor! As much as you've pissed him off, your death is not worth ruining the reputation Jarvan maintains to this day." Janna explains, with a slight shrug of her shoulder.

"I'm still not sure…," Lux mumbles, knowing that Janna's logic is sound. Even if it still didn't seem completely right.

"Also, we're not bound by the magical shackles of the Fields. I can literally blow 'em away, and you can blind them with your brilliance. They'd be fools to attack us outright. I'll keep you safe." Janna continues, smile widening. Lux just glares at the growing pile of logic in this argument.

"You're just jealous you didn't think of it first. Stop brooding, and move it! Lunch rush will end soon. If we don't hurry we'll miss dessert!" Janna tells her a growing smile, one pale eyebrow rising high. A single pale finger flicks upwards, a gust forcing Lux to her feet.

"Hmph," Lux grunts as she trails behind Janna. Already people are starting to stare in their direction once they reach the main hallways. Uncertain if it her is sudden appearance, or her lack of actual protective clothing, Lux wishes she could retreat back to safety. After a much needed bath Janna surprised her with some clean clothes to borrow. Thin strips of fabric that move about with the slightest breeze attempt to cover her private bits. Sadly, Janna seems happy to forget Lux's lack of wind magic mastery. Only this kind of outfit would be considered almost decent if one could control the exact movements of the local breezes. And, somehow, magically the clothing she came here with died in the wash. Janna has something in mind. Lux will just need to trust in her friends inane idea. And pray that Darius gets her the hell outta here so she can get back in comfortable clothes! That, and the second part of Janna's plan is going to get really messy.

No time to back out though! Head high, blue eyes focused firmly on the cafeteria, Lux strides into the general public for the first time since her marriage to Darius. A brief moment of silence as she steps past the first table. Like fire, voices break out in loud whispers all over. A few champions look her in the eyes, all of them friendly. Some of the looks from the older male staff are a little too direct and friendly. Mentally Lux takes note of them. If Darius ever needs someone to take out his anger on, she'll know of some handy examples.

At the very edge of the cafeteria is Draven. Several admirers are draped on his arms. They eyes meet and lock. His green eyes widen. Then a small frown forms, and grows deeper. Lux nods her head in response. Quickly she flicks her eyes at Janna, then back at Draven. Her brother-in-law follows her gaze before quirking up an eyebrow. Lux mouths the word 'showtime' at him. Three times her fingers snap on her right wrist indicating how much time he has. He throws her a quick thumbs up, before getting up to leave. He doesn't leave the room alone. Many of his fans flock behind him, eager to see if their hero needs anything.

A sigh escapes her, and her shoulders drop a tiny bit in relief. Draven understands what that means, and he'll bring Darius. They'll both show up and get the her back to Noxus. Janna's plan is simple. They go and eat lunch. Just before dessert is served incite a food fight. Get this room completely covered in disastrous mess. This has nothing to do with Lux, it has everything to do with revenge against the janitors.

It turns out that the head janitor has been sneaking cameras into the girls bathrooms for panty shots. Almost all the female champs want him dead. However, there are firm in laws in place about maintaining a 'no kill safe zone'. A general plan has gone out among all women champions staying at the Institute of War to make a massive messes for the janitors to clean up. Once the cameras are gone, for good, the mess worthy of hall of fame will stop being a daily show. As much as she wants to go home and apologize to Darius, there is her friends honor to uphold. Besides, a food fights are fun! Plus, she knows a spell that will really make cleanup a nightmare for those perverted assholes.

"Ready?" Janna whispers in her ear.

"Let's do this. But make it quick." Lux hisses back, blue eyes sweeping the room one more time. What appears to be Jayce looks her in the eyes. As he looks between her and Janna, he abruptly turns around and marches away. An obvious "NOPE" is written in his gaze. He knows to run away when she's making mischief with Janna. Lux admires his ability to catch on quick. Pity though, having a chance to throw pies at him would be a fun challenge. At least she can have some harmless fun! Nothing wrong with a playful food fight resulting that also doubles as justice! Still, a nagging feeling that something isn't right lingers. What is she forgetting?


	25. TLJ9

Lux carefully takes the piece of apple pie. Janna gives her a quick wink before biting into her slice of carrot cake. Pieces of crust break off as she starts to eat as fast as possible. According to Janna's half baked revenge plot, Lux has maybe three minutes to eat as much dessert as possible. Carefully she eases spells into the flooring. Not a complex spell, really. Just a reserval on a standard bleach spell. The janitors are in for a nasty surprise when they try to use anything to chemical based remove the sugar off this floor! Tragically all hextech and magical base cleaners have vanished. Every mess created after this one? Has to scrubbed off by hand with plain tap water.

"Lux! Good to see you. Here, have a cupcake!" Lulu yells out gleefully. A perfect chocolate swirls through the air in her direction.

"Thank you," Lux replies back as she drops the last bites of her pie on the floor.

As she fails to save her wayward pie, Lulu's cupcake sails past her shoulder. Annie soons find herself covered in chocolate frosting, sprinkles, and cupcake. A fraction of silence follows as all informed parties arm themselves with the stickiest desserts on the menu.

"Food fight!" Is the battle cry of all female champions, just as planned.

Chaos erupts as food is thrown around. All males on the known black list for buying pantie shot photos go down first. More than one actually yells in pain. Not everyone plays fair! Akali is putting shuriken in her projectiles. At least, Lux suspects that it is a ninja who is putting in sharp edges. Splat! Moist cake hits her below just her pants line. Lulu gives her a sly smile before running off for her next target. Pesky yordles have a height advantage! Enough fooling around, time to actually make a serious mess.

One hand scoops up some of her remaining pie off the floor. Lux spots a good target, and takes aim. Thack! Splatters of apple pie slide down Garen's armor. Damn, her aim is off! She'd wanted to hit her brother on the head. Smack! Something she suspects might be tomato based hits her on the shoulder. Cheaters! That isn't a dessert! Janna hands her a coconut flan, and the battle resumes. Too soon ammunition is out. Laughter spreads from champion to champion. Suddenly a loud crash is heard, door flying apart at the hinges. Jarvan, in full battle armor, is heading her way. Several of his leading officers follow behind him.

"This is your last insult traitor! I graciously gave you the chance to retreat all those months ago. You return to this hallowed ground mocking its very principles. Your stain on Demacian honor ends now!" Jarvan screams, eyes blazing at her seconds before he leaps at her, weapon bared.

"No!" Darius snarls from her right leaping to intercept Jarvan.

CLANG! Sparks fly as his axe grinds against Jarvan's spear. Unable to bear the brunt of Darius' counter attack, Jarvan steps back a few steps. An all too familiar whirring sound emits into the room. Draven strides in, both axes swirling. Backup! Lux flicks her gaze from Jarvan to Darius. Both men have been having a rough time recently. Jarvan has bags under his eyes, and a desperate glint seems to dance in them. Only two Demacian champions are giving their prince backup; Xin Zhao and Shyvana. Garen, thankfully, seems to have found something interesting to do elsewhere.

"Draven will give you his thanks, little Demacian prince," Draven replies lazily a wicked spark in his emerald gaze.

"What for you…" Jarvan snarls, taking another strategic step backwards.

"Things have been frightfully dull without war. Simply executing the everyday criminal is becoming boring. Thanks to you, war will return! Draven can return to the extraordinary shows of killing Prisoners of War," Draven replies smirk growing wider as gasps break out.

"He's right, Demacian. My wife has done nothing wrong. You attacked her without provocation on neutral ground. If you get on your knees and beg her nicely, I might consider a pardon." Darius answers a wicked grin on his face.

Things are spiraling out of control very quickly. Lux looks around the room, trying to assess who is friend, foe, and neutral. There are a lot of Noxian champions in the room. Still no additional backup from Demacian forces. Jarvan is very outnumbered, and Lux wonders where in the hell the remaining Demacian allies are.

"Let it be known that on this day in history, Demacia unjustly started a war!" Draven bellows out, as one axe stops spinning. He aims it directly at Jarvan, who is growing very red.

"Our nations were at peace. A treaty of nonviolence you signed, Jarvan Lightshield the Fourth! You agreed on your nation's honor, to abide by the rules of this place. What happens? One of your most awarded nobility does something you don't like! Ladies and Gentlemen, look before you a the true nature of Demacia! They're only just when it suits them. Luxanna Crownguard fell in love with my brother. Nothing wrong there! She willingly came to our nation. Despite my hopes, she never once betrayed any Demacian secrets. And how do her own people react? They try to kill her because it makes them look bad," Draven exclaims, shouting each word with flair. Someone, somewhere, shines a magical spotlight on him. Everyone looks at him mesmerized by his speech.

"Let's not start a war now. Please," Lux whispers, one of her hands reaching out mid air. She isn't prepared for battle now! She can't provide backup like this. What feels like a giant chasm is opening beneath her feet. Things are changing so quickly! How can she plan for something like this?! What the hell is Draven thinking, saying stuff like that! He will really ignite a war!

"Shall we go home?" Darius inquires without looking at her. His green gaze never leaves Jarvans. Lux's jaw drops. Although he isn't looking at her, Darius offers her his free hand to take.

"You're not going anywhere!" Jarvan snarls, recovering from the unexpected limelight.

"Yes. Let's go home." Lux answers at the same time, as she puts her hand in Darius'. His large hand gently squeezes hers. He doesn't let go of her hand, yet he doesn't drag her by it either. As she moves up by his side, she enjoys the feeling of his skin on hers. They haven't held hands before like this in public. A protective ring of Noxians form a guard around her and Darius. Tension is thick around them. Lux tenses, waiting for the battle to break out. This is last time she lets Janna make plans!


	26. TLJ10

Totally not dead!

/

 _BONG!_ Suddenly golden light encircles Jarvan, Xin, Shyvana, and the other Demacian soldiers. A magic more powerful than anything Lux has ever seen before keeps them frozen in time. It appears to be a type of celestial magic. Blue eyes look through the room for the source. Ah! It appears that unexpected backup has arrived; Bard, Soraka, and Zilean are crowd controlling Demacians.

"There may be war, but not under my watch on these grounds! Darius take your people back home. We'll keep these hot headed fools busy while you do. Harm no one in your exodus." Soraka snaps out, eyes ablaze with fury.

"Very well." Darius replies with a slight nod of his head.

Goosebumps crawl down Lux' back. There is a tension here, deeper than she knows about. Is war a possibility? What has been happening outside of Noxus these past few months? To her shame, she's been slacking on keeping tabs on outside politics. She'd assumed things were peaceful, and thus nothing to really be worried about! Something she'll need to remedy quickly. Lack of knowledge had a high cost here today, she's lucky no one was killed! That was she forgot! Her current data on Runeterran politics is very outdated. Engaging in battle without updated facts is always a disaster. Her hand is squeezed gently, bringing her back to the present.

Emerald green eyes stare deep into her, down to the very bottom of her very soul. Emotions flicker through those eyes quickly, most of them too quick for her recognize. Janna is right, she has to talk things out with Darius. Now is not the time however! Better get back to Noxus will they have safe passage. Returning her husband's worried gaze with a reassuring smile, Lux follows his lead. Again Darius' surprises her! He continues to hold her hand without dragging her by it. His palm is warm to the touch. It seems like he's gotten new callouses on his hands. Without a thorough study of his hands, which she will do, Lux can't tell exactly how the shape of his hand has changed.

Mages are at standby, ready to direct the teleportation home. Shoulders rise and fall when Lux sees that she doesn't need to expend any magic to activate the teleportation spell. Soon every Noxian is positioned on the teleportation circle. Lights flash, faster and faster as the spell is triggered. SInce this is an unusually large number of champions being moved at once, it is activated differently. Lux takes note of how it works. Nothing new for her steal, spell wise. Just a greater expenditure of power in a regular spell.

As soon as they arrive in Noxus, thunder greets them. Rain pounds against the city-state. It is much colder in Noxus then the Institute. Lux feels the colder, more humid weather hit her like a slap. Teeth start shaking as her sad excuse for clothing fails to provide adequate shelter. Before she can look for a coat, Darius wraps his cloak around her.

"Ready to go home?" Darius asks her, voice soft and uncertain.

Shock rips through Lux at his tone. Darius is actually asking her! Of course she is ready to go home with him! Then she remembers their last conversation. In his own way, in a public space, Darius is letting her know he won't force her to do anything she doesn't want to. Shame pools heavy in her heart. How could she have left him like that? One of her hands reaches up, cupping his cheek. Lux stands up on her tiptoes and places a soft kiss on his lips. Then makes a face as she comes in contact with unpleasant levels of stubble. Before any makeup sex, he has to shave!

"You need to shave." Lux tells him, eyes sparkling at his sudden blush.

"My motivation for regularly shaving hasn't been around," Darius answers back, grin spreading wide.

That toothy grin greets her, warming Lux to the core with his boyish charm. Then other parts of her start to get warm for other reasons. It has been some time since she's had quality time with Darius! Something she hadn't expected to miss so much!

"Sweet as you two are, please get a room before Draven gets a rotten tooth. I've got better things to do then watch you two flirt. You will be considerate and get home before the wild makeup sex starts," Draven tells them with an all too familiar drawl, smirk in place.

"Draven shut up! I can flirt with Lux in public if I want." Darius snaps back.

"Perhaps, but there are laws against fucking in public spaces. Though, I wouldn't mind seeing her body sans clothing. Not that there is a lot of clothing in place currently." Draven remarks unphased by Darius' growing rage. Someone, somewhere, shines that magical spotlight on Draven making him the center of attention once more.

Once more that full body blush returns in force. Lux stares firmly at the floor unable to look at either blood brother. Darius had been flirting with her in public! He'd never done that before. It was nice. At least, until Draven interrupted them like an ass. She'll need to have a chat with him about that! Plus, where does he find a magical spotlight like that?!

"Let's go home. There are things we need to discuss." Lux implores Darius, hoping to get far away from Draven's smirk. Damn her brother-in-law! She was enjoying just being with Darius.

"Yes. We have some important details to work out. Draven! I better not see your smug face for at least a week." Darius replies softly, before his tone darkens at his brother.

"Eeep!" Lux squeaks in shock as she finds herself scooped up in Darius' arms. "I can walk. But you can carry me, this once. Because you're warm, and it's too cold outside." Lux informs Darius with a faux huff of annoyance.

Darius doesn't carry her far. It seems that there is a carriage waiting for them outside the building. Landra is waiting outside, umbrella at the ready. Before any rain can hit either of them, Landra uses an extending umbrella to keep off the rain. Poor Landra is stepping quickly on tiptoe to keep both Lux and Darius under the shelter of the umbrella. Thankfully the path from door to the street is short. Inside the carriage is several thick fur blankets and hextech warmers. How in the world was all of this ready for them? She couldn't have given Draven the heads up more than half an hour ago, max! Again, Darius' impresses her with his ability to have her every need supplied. Hot shame goes back to filling her heart. He hadn't deserved that mess she left him. By leaving Noxus like that, without any explanation, or solid plan...was perhaps the dumbest thing Lux has ever done. The ride back home is done in comfortable silence.

"We really need to talk. But, I want you so bad…" Darius whispers in her ear as their home comes into eyesight. His tongue circles her ear, his breath hot against her skin.

"...shave first. Then lots of sex, and finally we'll have our much needed talk." Lux answers back, need rising in her. Her desire to touch Darius all over, and be touched all over in return is strong.

"I like this plan. I suggest an additional part to it. Once we talk things out, more sex. Lots and lots of sex." Darius tells her, voice going deep as he leans closer, placing kisses along her neck.

"I like this plan. A lot." Lux informs him, one of her hands reaching out to trace his chin.


	27. TLJ11

"May I carry you inside?" Darius inquires his voice having an unusually hesitant tone to it that startles Lux. "Please?"

Their carriage had just pulled up to their home, and rolled to a stop. It's time to disembark, and Lux is caught off guard by the tone in her husband's voice. Darius is always so confident, it's one of his trademark characteristics. This uncertain tone is not like him at all! Her blue eyes search him over for any signs of injuries she may have missed. There aren't any clearly visible, but she'll double check once he's naked. Green eyes look back her with something that can't possibly be fear, but if Lux didn't know better, would call fear. _I never thought I'd need to reassure Darius!_ Her harsh parting words echo in her memory, bringing back unpleasant implications. Things had not gone according to plan, and now she needs to fix the damage. _I also never thought I'd say something like that either._ One hand reaches over and gently cups his jaw. Gently she tugs his face to look her directly in the eyes. Her lips curve into her best reassuring smile before planting a tender kiss on his neck, well below the line of facial hair. He's far too scruffy to kiss on the face.

"I would love it if you carried me." Lux whispers, voice warm. A tender look comes to her eyes, and Darius relaxes against her. "I missed you. I'm glad to be back home." Darius wraps an arm around her waist before effortlessly scooping her into his arms.

"You've lost a lot of weight." Darius sounds displeased, slightly bouncing her as if judging her exact body weight. Lux just squeaks her mouth opening to reply when Landra opens the carriage door.

In her arms is a large red and black umbrella. Landra holds it high above her head, getting on her tiptoes to make sure it covers both Darius and Lux. Relief at seeing Landra floods her. She didn't think Darius would fire her personal maid after her dramatic exit, but she was worried about her future. As Lux opens her mouth to stop Landra, who is already getting pelted by cold rain, her maid gives Lux a stern look. Mouth snapping shut, Lux decides that now is not the time to argue. Landra graces her with a triumphant look, while keeping up with Darius' fast walk, still on tiptoe. Not that Darius even acknowledges the effort Landra is doing to keep up, he's on a mission. Samsin bows deeply, greeting to them both at the door.

"My Lord, glad to see you've recovered your wife." There's a playful twitch of his lips, Lux is curious about. "Good to see you again, my Lady. Do you need anything before you disappear in my Lord's care?" Samsin gives her a rare smile that also reaches his eyes.

"See that we're not disturbed for at least a week Samsin. I should have everything Lux needs for that time." Darius commands still carrying Lux.

Her blush returns as she remembers what she's wearing practically nothing under Darius's cloak. She gives Samsin a small shake of her head, as Darius takes them deeper into their home. Her eyes scan the walls, sad to see none of her spider's webs survived the maids. Also, her magical senses note that all the anti-spy spells she put into place are gone. That'll need to be fixed right away! Before she will do any spell maintenance, she needs to talk to Darius. It seems he's eager for privacy, his pace is rather fast. It takes Darius half the time it takes her to get from the entrance to the stairs leading to their bedroom. As he bounds up the stairs, she grabs at his shoulders to help stay steady. His progress up the stairs is swift. He's so fast, and Lux glances down noting that he's actually going up two steps at a time in his rush to them to the bedroom.

Darius's ability to have things prepared in advance is evident, the bedroom door is open. Once they're both inside, Darius tenderly sets her down on the ground. Just as her feet make contact, he leans down to kiss her. Lux intercepts his lips with her right index finger. She mouths the word 'shave' at him. He sheepishly rubs the stubble with one hand, before heading for the bathroom. As he vanishes from her eyesight, a pang of missing him hits. Lux had forgotten just how much she loves being with Darius. Her fingers slide his cloak off her body, but finds it getting stuck against her skin. With a glance, she looks at her body, shoulders going stiff at the sight. She's a mess! There's pieces of food all over her. Suddenly uncomfortable at her appearance, Lux beelines for the bath. As she passes Darius, whose face is partially covered in shaving cream, their eyes meet. He rises a single eyebrow at her in query.

"I'm all sticky from the food fight. I should get clean before we get intimate." Lux doesn't stop, just explaining her mission as she walks past.

"I'd be happy to clean all that off you with my tongue!" Darius says with a chuckle, his eyes lingering on her back as she continues into the bathing area. His laugh grows louder at her indignant gasp.

"Maybe you can eat food off me some other time! Now I want to bath!" Lux hollers back that full body blush back in place.

One perk to wearing Janna's clothes is how easy they come off. Just a few wiggles of her hips coupled with a slight push of her fingers, and she's naked. Perhaps she'll borrow an outfit to surprise Darius with sometime. He'd enjoy taking such a thing off her. A smile grows on her face as she heads towards the large tub. It's already full, steam coming off the water. Her favorite soaps and conditioner are within easy reach. How in the world did he have this already set up? There are several red candles burning brightly along the edges of the tub. What appear to rose petals float on the surface. It's a very romantic setting! She barely gave warning to Draven about the food fight less than an hour ago! Her husband's ability to anticipate her needs and go beyond them is impressive. _I'm an idiot for leaving like I did. That was such a miscalculation on my part!_ One foot tests the water temperature, not surprised to find the water at her favorite temperature. It doesn't much more than a couple minutes to scrub off the worst of the food, but there tiny bits of frosting all over.

"Aw, I was hoping to lick some of that off you. I saved the damsel! I should be able to lick off the frosting at least." Darius mutters remorsely as he strides into the bathing area, clean shaven and naked.

"Then you should have shaved before dashing in like that. If you didn't have all that stubble, I would have been very happy to let you lick me clean, silly man." Lux teases back, glad at how easily they slip back into easy banter. Her eyes sweep him over twice, checking for any injuries. Glad to see he's not hurt anyplace, her gaze lingers a bit on his cock. It's already growing erect. His chuckle at her staring startles her into looking at his mirth filled eyes. "Besides, we'd already established that I'm the hero and you're the damsel."

Darius lets out a laugh, and steps into the tub. Water splashes at the sudden addition, washing away some frosting on her lower back. Faster then she's expecting, he swoops in for a passionate kiss. His hands circle her waist, tickling her hips a little. As she gasps from the unwarranted tickle attack, his tongue goes into her mouth. Her tongue battles his, wanting entrance into his mouth. They part for air, both of them panting.

"I'm a mess!" She gently pokes him in ribs with a finger. "Let me get clean first." Lux demands uncomfortable with the bits of food still on her body. It's silly that she feels so self conscious over being dirty. Something softens in those green eyes, and he backs away.

"You're still beautiful messy." His voice is soft, and he grabs a washcloth off one of the racks near the edge. "I'll wash your back. Actually wash, not just use it as an excuse to touch you."

Lux just turns her back to him so he start to help her get clean. His hands use the washcloth to scrub at her back in a through pattern. It's rather relaxing, and Lux finds tension just draining from her shoulders. She uses magic to fetch a second washcloth to help scrub off the mess on her front. Darius is done before her, and he starts gently massaging her shoulders. Those large hands work at easing way the knots in her shoulders, while skilling staying out her way to get clean. Low moans of pleasure leave her lips as he works out knots. One hand flicks the sticky washcloth out of the tub. Her body just melts like wax while Darius shifts his massage from her back to her hips.

"You're a keeper with hands like that." Lux murmurs, feeling so much better. Need grows in her loins as her husband slides a finger between her legs. He doesn't touch anything, just using it to gently ease her legs a bit further apart.

"Even after I said all those terrible things?" Darius whispers in her ear, tone sorrowful. He works on kissing her neck gently, each kiss soft and swift.

"Yes." Lux says with emotion, needing to reassure both of them. "I...ah!" Lux gaps as he slides a lone finger across her slit slowly, gently rubbing circles on it. "Darius! I'm trying to talk here!" Lux admonishes, not anger in her tone.

"I...made...mistakes...too…and….AH!" Her words drift off as he slides a finger into her. Lust and need drive all thoughts of how she wanted to apologize out of her mind. She messed up, and she wants to apologize properly to Darius! He deserves to hear why she did those things, and she can't even voice anything while he's fingering her.

One of his hands holds her close, while a second finger slides deep inside her crotch. His thumb, rough with callouses starts to rub on on her clit. Soon her hips are bucking to the rhythm his of fingers. His kisses on her neck go from soft to suckling. Another moans leaves her, and she wants him so much. She shifts a hand to reach behind her, and grab hold of his dick. It's hard and easy to find. The hand that had been holding her close let's go, to grab her hand, stopping her from stroking him. If this the game he wants to play, she'll play it. But she'll play it with her rules, not his! No longer pinned, she shifts her body around so she's facing him. Darius keeps his fingers in her, the twisting movement driving her lust higher.

"Darius, I'm going to save a warhorse and ride a General tonight." Lux commands, wanting to be in charge. He laughs low in his throat, and she uses a hand to push him towards the edge of the tub.

"Keep you fingers in me, don't stop." She hisses with pleasure as he adds in a third finger. Not caring about her surroundings, her hips buck harder. Water splashes with each movement of her body, and a single candle is extinguished. Once she's certain Darius braced against the back of the bathtub, she smiles in anticipation.

"Hands out of my snatch. I'm going to ride you now. Be a good General and help up me up." Lux orders, pleased with how obedient her husband proves to be. What would her former countrymen think of the Hand of Noxus obeying her like this? His hand slides out, and sher wants to be filled again. They slide across her skin, before cupping her ass. Darius then lifts her up so she better reach his cock. Her legs wrap around his waist, and she leverages her body a bit above his cock. Slowly she lowers herself onto him, enjoying her passage stretching to meet his girth. Darius does a groan a bit, and his hips a buck a bit. That causes another wave of water to snuff out two candles.

"Faster…" Darius moans, his teeth digging into her neck as she clamps her vagina hard against him. "...please?" He begs, as Lux refuses to move for a few long seconds. She's proving that she's the one in control.

"Beg for what you want Darius. I want to hear you beg." Lux rocks her hips a little, but doesn't move much beyond that. The feeling of him filling her is driving her wild, but she wants to her her husband beg. He groans a bit, but doesn't say anything. "I'm saving a warhorse here. Your horse could obey such a simple command. You can do better." Lux shifts forward, loving the change in pressure.

"F-fuck." His green eyes widen at her demand, and he licks his lis uncertain. Lux rocks back, but still refuses to move much more than that. She gives him a wicked smirk. "Fine! Lux...please...fuck me. Ride me hard. Please...please...I'm begging you!" Darius groans out the last word as Lux finally moves upwards, then slamming her body down hard. Shocks of pleasure jolt through her at his words. This is proving to more erotic then she'd first hoped!

"What do you need Darius? What do you want?" Lux continues to move up and down, but she moves slowly. His hands grab her ass, and squeeze hard enough she'll have bruises.

"I want you to fuck me harder! Damn it Lux! Go faster! _PLEASE!_ " At his pleading tone, she acquiesces moving her body up and down quickly. To help her, Darius shifts his hands from her ass to her hips. On the downward slide, he helps shove her onto his cock harder. Waves from their motions splash over the edges in waves, putting out all the candles. Lux moans, as his hands help give her a harder impact. Each thrust of her body drives him in and out, his hand only helping to give force for the way down. He's letting her set the pace. This only drives her closer to the edge. Before much longer, the familiar tingles of an orgasm grow in her loin. She can feel Darius's cock starting to twitch, she can he's close. As he helps her slide down next, her orgasm hits hard, and she clamps her walls in response. This drives Darius to climax, his cum flooding her. It's a wonderful feeling having his seed be the reason her womb is warm. Lux just slides forward enough so she can lean on him, without having his cock slide out. Darius shifts downwards, so he's now sitting the tub, while she rests on his lap.

"That was fun. We should do it again." Lux murmurs, her hand seeking out his. His hand meets hers halfway, twining their fingers together. She listens to his heartbeat, while they cool down in comfortable silence.

"Yes. We can take turns on who's in charge." Darius breaks the silence and his other hand starts to search for something in the darkness.

Lux provides a small orb of light to help provide illumination. Darius finds it after fishing for a moments behind his bottles of shampoo. He goes silent, brings his hand, and its contents, to rest against his chest near her head. Lux stares at his hand, keeping the small ball of light active. Her husband seems to be steeling himself to say something important, so Lux keeps her question silent.

"Lux, I love you." Darius says in a rush, he just looks at her with the most vulnerable expression she's ever seen on him. "You mean the world to me. Please...don't leave me again. I'll listen next time! Please trust me. I would never hurt." His closed fist moves closer to her free hand, and gently places a small, metal object in it. Lux doesn't need to look to know what he gave her. In her hand is their first wedding ring, she knows the feel of it by heart. "Never."

Emotions hot and strong burn under her skin at his words. Lux never thought he'd ever say those three words to her! Oh, she'd dreamed of hearing them for years...but...the reality always seemed like an impossible thing. Guilt at how lost and scared he sounds, wrap around her heart like barbed wire. She caused this reaction in Darius. No matter what happens, she'll never leave Darius. He shouldn't be weak like this over her! _Never again will I cause him pain! We'll make this work._ She wonders how he recovered her original wedding ring.

"I love you too. I'll never leave you. If we're apart, it's because someone is keeping me from you." Lux promises her hand squeezing his. "I'm sorry...there's so much I need to tell you…" Lux isn't even certain where to begin.

"There's a lot less than you'd think." Darius says, his tone a bit sheepish. That causes her look at him with a single eyebrows rising towards her hairline. "Apple pie is tasty, but Darius is tastier." Darius whispers softly, as one of his fingers rubs specific pattern onto her back. Eyes widen in shock at the implications he knows how to access her spellbook. "I used to watch you scribble away in it. I memorized how you unlocked your journal months ago. It was tempting to read it, to find out why you were so upset. I finally broke down and did so while you were gone. I needed to know what I did wrong." Darius can't look her in the eyes, instead, stares at the wall behind her.

Lux can't find it in her to be mad at him. Darius could have read it any point, but chose to respect her privacy. It wasn't until she was long gone, uncertain to return that he finally broke down and read it. In his shoes, she'd read the journal well before leaving. All the answers to his questions where in that book, and he waited for her to finally tell him. Only, she never did.

"I forgive you. We need to work on our communication skills. So much pain could have been avoided if we had just talked to each other. Been honest, instead of dancing around the issue." Lux whispers, as she slides the ring onto her right ring finger. That particular piece of jewelry she'd thought gone forever! As it rests on her finger, it reminds her of how much they both sacrificed to be together. She vows to never let her own insecurities put their relationship at risk! Darius just agrees with a nod of his head, and Lux enjoys his company. Soon she'll find out what has been happening while she's been off in the wilderness. For now, she wants this moment of peace to savor.


	28. TLJ12

Lux dreams of Noxus. That damned light wand floats before her. Beneath her feet rests the slumbering City-State. Darkness is surrounding it, like a rising tide. Inky fingers of the material creep through the streets. Each pulse and wave of the stuff flows further into the heart of Noxus. Nothing is left untouched. Lux has never seen anything like it before. Fear grips her heart, digging into her core. She should know what that darkness is, it feels familiar. Like an old friend, but not. This is something else. Something sinister and cold.

You must prevent this.

"Prevent what? I don't need cryptic signs." Lux glares at the red and black wand floating just in front of her.

Times are changing. A deep darkness is rising. If you don't stop it, everyone you love will die.

"How can I stop it?" Lux snarls her answer, eyes narrowing.

Learn to be the Avatar of Noxus. Come to love Noxus as you do yourself. Fight the darkness!

"That's not very helpful and…"

LISTEN!

Her world goes completely black. Silences slams against her like hammer, thick and heavy. It fills her lungs and Lux can't breathe. Limbs stiff, body immobile Lux struggles to speak.

"Lux! Lux, shh, it's okay, you're safe…" Darius's soothing voice reaches through the silence, and freeing her from the dream.

With a gasp, she sits upright. Messy blonde hair covers most of her vision. Green eyes stare at her, visible even through the tangle of hair over her face. Darius pulls her close, his mouth showering her neck with soft kisses. Tension drains out of her, and Lux buries her head against his chest. It was just a dream. That is a lie, and she knows it. Her light wand is sentient and talks to her via dreams. For just this week, I'm going to believe in that lie.

"I was having a bad dream." Lux murmurs softly, desperate to believe in the lie. It's not just a dream, but right now she doesn't need to distracted. Right now she needs Darius.

"Tell me about it?" Darius's fingers lightly trail down her side. His head is propped up on one hand, the other very happily dancing across her skin.

"Not now. Now I want to believe everything will work out okay in the end. Distract me? Please?" Lux whispers softly, her own hand exploring the scars on his chest. One of them is new. What has Darius been up to while she was away?

"Gladly." Darius gives her a toothy grin, his free hand wandering further south.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Both of them freeze. Darius is the first act with a loud curse and leaping out of bed. He's striding towards the door, shoulders stiff. One hand grabs his axe. It better be important, otherwise heads will roll. Lux is already scrambling for clothes. Unlike her husband, she isn't ready to fight while naked. Something to plan for in the future! Before her husband yanks open the door with a loud bang, she whips ups an illusion. Now invisible, she looks through her wardrobe. Samsin is outside the door with an ashamed look on his face.

"I am so sorry my Lord Darius... I know you said not to disturb you but…" Samsin hangs his head in shame as Marcus Du Couteau steps into view. "Someone whom I must obey insists on talking with you and my Lady Lux."

"Good to see you awake Darius. Darius, get your ass dressed." Marcus graces Darius with a smile before walking into the room. He taps his cane against the floor a couple times as he surveys the room with a smirk. "There are issues we must discuss. Lux is required for this. I'm sure she's here someplace. Lux, don't hide. I won't stare at you, if I caught you in a state of indecency. This is urgent, we must chat."

"When I agreed to let you be Grand General, I didn't think you'd abuse the position. I don't have time for your games. I need to lavish my wife with attention, not cater to your whims." Darius glares at the man invading his personal space. Hands balling into tight fists he follows closely behind the man as he walks around his rooms.

"Sadly there isn't time for that. Demacia is crying for war. Noxus can't afford to be caught with our pants down." Marcus glances at Darius, looking him up and down, before smirking. "A quick, decisive response is necessary." Marcus settles into the chair behind Darius's desk. He doesn't let go of his cane, keeping it one hand. The other shuffles around the papers sitting loose on top. Idly he picks up a chess piece from the chessboard Darius keeps nearby. It's the Black Queen.

"What do you need from us Marcus? You've dealt with Demacian style politics before. You were key in the talks that established the Institute of War." Lux doesn't have time to find clothes, so she just layers illusions before becoming visible. Now she appears to be dressed in her favorite black and red outfit. Marcus's interference is unwelcome. She hadn't planned on him trying to manipulate with her place in Noxian politics for a few more weeks at least! How dare he take away her time with Darius! Blue eyes track Marcus with a hard stare. Now is not the time to mince words. "You wouldn't be here unless you want something."

Darius growls at Marcus. When Marcus doesn't take the clear hint to fuck off and leave them alone, he stalks over to his closet. If he's going to deal with a Du Couteau he'll want to wear pants. Nothing starts a day off badly like being caught in a trap with your pants down.

"Very astute Lux. I already have a drafted speech for the Noxian public and for that foolish pup Jarvan." Marcus sets down the Black Queen, then picks up a Black Pawn. That chess piece he arounds around in his free hand. "I'm here because I wish to formally adopt my sons. It would make it harder for Jarvan to declare war if he's attacking Noxian nobility without valid reason. I just need Darius to sign some paperwork, then I'll leave you two alone."

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Darius hollers, face red at the implication. Pants are yanked up, and he spins on his heels to face the Grand General. Who just smiles serenely at him. Hand grabs his axe and he stomps over. Lux watches in silence a thoughtful expression on her face. Whatever she's planning better be quick! Heads are going to roll.

"I married my dearly departed ex wife for political reasons, not love. When she finished her duty to bear an heir for the Du Couteau line, she quietly divorced me. Then she hitched up with some low life scum for love and had two young boys." Marcus doesn't flinch as an axe blade comes to rest against his throat. "I wouldn't. If you kill me, you'll be so busy with paperwork and power consolidating you'll be kept away from Lux for months."

"Darius," Lux gently rests a hand on his outstretched arm. She pats it softly as she glares at Marcus. "Let's listen to what Marcus has to say. If his offer isn't worth it, then you can kill him. I'll be fine if you're kept busy."

To his credit, Marcus doesn't react, not even a slight grimace at her words. Rather they lock eyes for a long minute. Lux smiles sweetly, and pats her husband's arm again. Darius looks down at her with a pleased grin. He knows this game. Time to provide backup. Axe slides away from Marcus, and he too just stares at the Grand General. Both of them wait for the Grand General to talk his way out of this mess.

"Do tell me what you have in mind Marcus. I'd love a reason to kill you." Darius settles down in the chair opposite to Lux. One of her hands reaches over and rests lightly on his. One of her fingers lightly rubs circles on his hand. It's both calming and reassuring that they're facing this threat as team. Both of them stare at the Grand General. One had a wolfish grin, the other a smug smirk.

"Before my dear wife could live out her life in peace, raising her sons, my mother killed her. Mother always did put high stock in public appearances." Marcus sets the Pawn next to the Queen. Both pieces are then moved to back to the chessboard. "While Katarina is my heir, I do need help consolidating power. If I formally adopt the two most powerful men in all of Noxus, one of them married to our latest addition, it'll help my position. Jarvan will lose support among the more neutral countries if he's attacking not just Lux, but the Du Couteau family."

Lux doesn't like it, but Marcus is correct. Her eyes flick over the chessboard. Marcus set down the Queen and Pawn so they're defending the King from the White Knight. He's good at this. Really good. I wasn't expecting him to be. Lux changes the chess piece she mentally gave Marcus into one more powerful. Then she arranges the pieces on her mental chessboard to properly reflect this development. Darius is tense and silent. His knuckles show white against the grey of his axe hand. She rubs that hand with her fingers to help him relax.

"What do we get Marcus? Noxus is powerful, we don't need this adoption to win. It just makes things easier." Lux leans forward, her blue eyes glittering like a knife blade in the dark. "Why should we let you do this? Darius would be much happier with you dead."

"Haha! You're ruthless Lux. I admire that. I haven't enjoyed such a fine exchange in many years." Marcus leans forward as well, eyes just as a sharp. "You'll get everything you need to win your little games, I get everything I need to win mine. All that's at stake is your husband's pride. Draven gets the title of nobility, something he's always wanted. Everyone walks away happy by the end with Noxus stronger for it."

"Do you have proof of your claims? Just because Draven and I share the same color eyes as Katarina doesn't make us family." Darius growls, hand slowly relaxing as his wife massages it. Green eyes hard as the edge of his axe narrow as Marcus pulls a folder from a pocket in his vest.

"Of course." Marcus slides the folder across the desk. "I fully expect the Hand of Noxus to check the sources. You're no fool. I wouldn't dream of presenting such a unhappy proposal without proof."

Lux watches Darius as he grabs the folder. He flips through it, face growing dark. Looks like Marcus really came prepared. He's manipulating my Darius! No one gets to do that to my husband! In that moment, Lux decides Marcus is going to die the moment he's no longer useful. He's a threat to her happiness with Darius. Lips curve into a toothy smile as she waits for Darius to hand her the folder. He does with a grunt, the grip on his axe turning his knuckles white. She reads through, finding iron clad evidence of the family ties. That's unacceptable. Darius loathes the Du Couteau's with a passion. Now that he is one that can't rest well with him. How dare Marcus use Darius like this? A hand gently brushes against her, snapping her from the rage. Those green eyes met hers with a certain, understanding look. Darius is willing to play along with her, and moment of silent grows. She returns the look, and her love for Darius just blossoms larger. Time to show Marcus what sort of trouble he's gotten into by messing them!

"Marcus we refuse your terms. I can't sacrifice my husband's happiness just to have an easy win. All my games don't need the Du Couteau's to secure a win. I don't need you, but I do want my husband happy." Lux's eyes turns cold, that small toothy smile growing wider. Marcus freezes and looks at her with something akin to horror. "You miscalculated. I'd rather enjoy the challenge of keeping my status in Noxus after killing you presents."

"Lux, dear wife, please reconsider. I may not want this, but we can have more time together if I do. If I'm unhappy with my new found family, we can always kill them later. Imagine how much fun Draven would have executing the Grand General for treason or some other capital offense." Darius sighs deeply before leaning over and planting a soft kiss on Lux's temple. His smile mirrors Lux's toothy grin as he turns his focus to the man in his seat. "Be glad I love my wife Marcus. She's the only reason you're leaving this room alive. Do you have the paperwork ready for me to sign right now?"

"No. The paperwork isn't ready yet. I had already planned on a large public ceremony." Marcus shifts slightly, his fingers tapping against the desk. His eyes shift between Lux and Darius, a tiny sheen of sweat on his brow. "It would be good for moral and public appearances."

"When do we need to be ready, Marcus?" Lux instantly changes her smile from toothy to sweet. "I'm sure we can ready in time for the ceremony you've already planned. It would be a shame to embarrass my new father-in-law with being tardy."

"I have it planned for this afternoon. At 14:00 in the main plaza. Draven has already agreed to be there." Marcus reaches for the folder as he stands up. Lux slides it away with a flick of her magic. Her sweet smile turns sickly as Marcus gulps as the folder is no longer within reach. It falls off the desk and into Darius's lap. Darius gives Marcus a toothy grin just daring the man to reach for it. "I'll take my leave now."

"Bye father!" Lux gives Marcus the same bland, innocent look she gave her father when he ordered her to stay out of trouble. Her blue eyes glitter as she speaks the line with her best good daughter voice. "See you later."

Marcus doesn't run away as much as he makes a tactical retreat. Lux clears off any spying spells tied to the folder and it's contents. Exactly nine of them are stuck to the various contents. Someone, somewhere, heard the whole exchange. Almost certainly Talon and Katarina heard this. I'll need to be careful.

"There go my plans for this week." Darius leans over and kisses Lux again. Green eyes stare at her with remorse, and Lux can't help but hate Marcus for this. "I was going to fuck you so many times. Feed you apple pie. Talk and play chess. Damn Marcus and his games!"

"You can still do all those things. We just need to be sneaky." Lux winks at Darius, and her tone gets husky. "I look forward to you thinking of how to make it all possible. Now, let's get ready. We'll want to prepared for this. I love you Darius, we'll beat Marcus at his own game. I promise."


	29. TLJ13

Lux smiles as she watches her husband dig through a chest for his medals. _He's adorable when he's focused like this. I wish I had more time alone with him! Stupid Marcus._ Her husband has countless medals earned for his deeds in battle. Darius refuses to wear them and keeps them in the bottom of a chest in his bedroom closet. The various items getting pulled out of the chest is growing larger. A large hand goes inside the chest and when the hand comes out the piles of books, papers, and various office supplies grows larger. After a pause in the searching Lux wonders what is happening because Darius' shoulders grow tight and his back stiff. Before she can ask Darius lets out a yell. One armored fist slams against the ground and a stack of books taken out of the chest falls over. Lux shakes her head and moves away from her spot on the bed. Quickly she walks over to her frustrated husband.

"Must I wear the medals?" Darius grumbled and huffed out something might have been a sigh. "I can't find them. They're not where they should be." Darius shoves the chest away and stands up. His armor is polished and his outfit immaculate. He spins around and he meets her halfway. Lux lets out a soft gasp as he holds her in a tight embrace. His body is rigid and she wraps her arms around his waist. _Poor Darius, he hates formalities! Pity he needs to wear the medals but we can't make any mistakes._ Slowly his body relaxes and he isn't stiff.

"Because it's required for formal ceremonies. It's one of those rules held by Noxian High Command for formal events. All military medals must be on display so that in an attack it's obvious who should lead." Lux replies with a soft shrug of her shoulders and she looks up at him. Her blue eyes note how tense his jaw is and the hardness lurking in the back of his green eyes. One hand moves away from his waist and reaches up to cup a cheek. Her thumb lightly traces along his jawline. "Which ones have you earned my love?"

"Argh!" Darius snarls and he bends down and plants a soft kiss on her forehead. One of his hands cups her and he gazes back with a tender look before his eyes close. Lux notes the furrowed eyebrows and his jaw shifts slightly under her hand. He lets out a gusty sigh and rattles off the list eyes still closed.

It's long impressive list and Lux knows if her husband were a smaller man all those medals wouldn't fit on his body. When he finishes the list she stands up on her tiptoes and plants a soft kiss on his lips. Darius tastes both salty and sweet under her mouth and she pushes her tongue inside of his mouth. _I'm sorry Darius._ As they come closer together, the kiss connecting them, Lux activates a spell and quickly searches her husband's memory for those exact medals. For the spell to work she needs to be in close contact with the person. A brief memory, just an image of the medal is what she needs. _I'll only take what I need, I promise._ Her thoughts aren't shared but the guilt might transfer if she keeps up the connection for longer. That's all she takes from Darius mind is a clear image of the medal. Once she has a secure image for the missing objects she releases the spell.

In an instant her brief connection to her husband's mind is closed. As his tongue fights hers for dominance she casts a seek spell. A few moments pass and they break apart for air. Lux's smile at her husband turns toothy and she pulls away from him. Darius raises both eyebrows in response. When they're less and a foot apart she cups her hands between them. All of his medals are kept in a wooden box. While they had been in his chest, Samsin had taken out for cleaning and polishing. Samsin is one of the best butlers Lux had seen but he hadn't returned the medals before Darius even noticed. Looks like Samsin regularly would take things that need maintenance, have the work done, and replace said objects before his master could notice. Lux opens the box to display the spotless medals. Darius stared at her his eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar.

"Here they are my love." Lux says with a smile and hands over the box. Darius takes them from her and puts them on.

"You're amazing. I'm the luckiest man to have you as my wife. Thank you for finding them for me, my love." Darius replies.

"No problem. We should get going. We're going to be late if we don't hurry." Lux answers with a smile. She pulls up a mirror and double checks her image one last time. This is important. Unlike most of her formal wear this is also battle ready. She's dressed in expensive supple black leather with gold trim, sheer gold chiffon, and red armor. Countless protection spells are layered over the whole get up. _I'm glad Landra suggested I get my usual outfit made in Noxian style! I'll suggest she get a raise when we pull this off!_ A twist on her standard gear in Demacia only with different colors. An emblem of Noxus, the one Darius wears as his own, is visible on the back. It's odd to see the outline of the Battle Axe of Noxus on her person. Both daggers she earned from Katrina is on her person and her new light wand rests lightly in one hand. This is the first time she's worn taken both the emblem of Noxus to a formal event. The symbolism of it isn't lost on her. After she deems her outfit perfect she releases the mirror spell. Darius is right behind her in a matching outfit. They look like a Noxian power couple. It makes her heart flutter with joy. A wide grin crosses her face.

"You look dangerous." Darius whispers into her ear and he plants some soft kisses against her neck. "You look like you are ready to kill anyone who opposes Noxus. I see a strong woman and it's making my armor tight in places. It's a really sexy look on you."

"You say the sweetest things my love." Lux murmurs back. "I'll see about helping your 'problem' after we've got this ordeal Marcus has planned for us over."

Darius bows and holds out his hand. Lux stares at the open palm and the implications of what is coming. She's going out in public for the first time as her husband's equal. All the times before this she was dependent on the support of her husband or brother-in-law. This changes things. Now she's presenting herself as equal to Darius. A smile crosses her lips and she grabs the hand he offers her. He squeezes her hand gently before they walk out of their room. They walk in complete harmony, like a Noxian military unit. Darius carries his battle axe in his free hand while Lux carries her light wand in her free hand. Landra is waiting for them at the head of the carriage. There's the faint gleam of a weapon at her waist and a protective glitter in her eyes. Samsin holds open the door and once they're both inside they're away. Lux looks out the window and they hold hands the entire ride. Not a word is said, none is needed. Silence is comfortable between them and the skies grow dark with storm clouds.

As the carriage arrives at the main plaza thunder booms. Lux scans the crowd. There are several familiar faces but there are more unfamiliar ones. Not all of the faces are friendly. While she works very hard at being popular here not everyone thinks she belongs here. Now she's going to prove to everyone that she's not a trophy wife but Darius equal. That she is a Noxian. If she does one thing wrong she risks game over. Beyond the sea of people in the main plaza is the center stage. Marcus isn't visible but Draven is. He waves at the carriage then does a finger gun point. Talon nor Katarina can be seen. Lux hopes they're not in eyesight because it's not time yet. Landra opens the door to the carriage and Lux puts on her best smile. A smile so bright it's dangerous. She exits the carriage with the graceful movements her mother taught her ages ago. Darius is not far behind her. He reaches for her hand and she takes it. As they walk towards the crowds someone hisses in hate. Lux pauses mid step her hand giving Darius's a two hard squeezes. _Hold up my love,_ the motion says.

The sea of people don't part for them. They hate her and Demacia so much it overrides their respect of Darius. Lux can see a few familiar faces, Larson, Susanna, and Madness as well as several children she's healed doing their best to elbow the crowd so people move for her. Darius doesn't let go of her hand but he nods his head at her. This is her battle to fight but he has her back the entire way.

"Move aside so we can reach the main plaza." Lux booms out her voice magically made louder by magic. Draven stands up one hand already starting to spin an axe, and she shakes her head at him. The axe stops spinning but he doesn't put it away. No one moves aside and a man twice her height moves ahead of the crowd to block her path. Lux checks out the crowd and estimates most of the people who hate her are at the edges. It appears they converged here to block her and Darius from reaching the main plaza. That means Marcus made this very public or there's a rat in his people. Lux gives the man a sweet smile and she lets go of her husband hand, the light wand swinging up to rest lightly in both hands. At the sight of it several people a few rows back gasp. More than one person points at it and whispers spread through the crowd. The red, black and gold light wand pulses to life and starts to glow.

"You don't belong here. Darius is a fool to marry you. You're making him weak. I don't care what people say, you're a weak fool who needs to die." The man spits out his words. At best headcount, Lux estimates fifty people nod their heads in agreement. He's easily the height of her husband. Unlike her Darius who is every inch muscle and power, this man has grown chubby and soft around the edges. _Retired military._ There are no medals on his person. _Unremarkable service or dishonorable discharge. A pawn for someone._ Mentally Lux makes the man a Pawn on her chess board and she moves the Queen forward.

"You will move or I will be forced to prove my right to belong here. I'll give you the chance to make a graceful exit before I wipe the floor with you." Lux speaks out and she steps forward. Her words boom loud and clear, amplified by magic. Draven is a showman and Lux mimics her brother in law techniques for impressing a crowd. All those months of being his assistant is about to prove useful!

The man starts to laugh and he balls up a fist at her. Before he can rise it Lux flicks her light wand. A ball of red light flashes out and roots him in place. He snarls at her his yellow and black teeth bared at her. "You don't scare me Demacian. I fought your kind on the battlefield. You're weak. You wouldn't kill a man who can't fight back." He screams the words at her and spites at her feet. The man doesn't fight her snare he just smirks at her safe in his assumption she won't hurt him.

"You're blocking our path. To impede the mission of any member of Noxian High Command is high treason. It's punishable by death." Lux says with a cool, calm tone and her words cause the crowd to pause. "If you get out of our way I will consider this a misunderstanding. No one needs to die but I will enjoy killing anyone who is too stupid to not move." A ripple goes through the sea of people and it shrinks back. A stone settles in her gut. Lux knows she will finally use the traditional Noxian way of proving right. She will kill today or she will lose. Less than one hundred now block their path. Lux refuses to think of failure she thinks about family. Speaking of family, Draven is laughing his ass off on the stage. _Draven is such a little shit sometimes! He's enjoying this!_ He knows what is coming and is apparently delighted by her show.

"You don't command us. Nor does that traitor who married you." The man snarls and several people nod vigorously. More than one person is getting their weapons out. Lux spots a few mages, their hands glowing.

"Luxanna I'll kill the traitors with heavy armor if you'll kindly kill the rest." Darius speaks with his voice magically enhanced so everyone can hear it. Lux tosses up a screen like she does for Draven's show above the crowd so everyone can watch. Before the screen is up her husband's his axe is already in motion. One of the people who block their path finds their head parted from their body just in time for their head to appear on the screen flying across the plaza. A bloody spray hits the crowd and people start to gather closer. They form a cage to block the people who started this from escaping. A hungry, eager look is on all the faces in the crowd.

"Of course my love." Lux says back without turning off the magical microphone. Her body is also in motion to match the movements of her husband.

They dance together and the song is one of death. Lux uses her light wand constantly casting spells to keep people trapped with magic as she kills them with her daggers. Always in motion to dodge attacks she tosses out her shield to protect her husband between death blows. Darius uses her shield to soak up damage from the larger attackers as his axe parts fools from their heads. The people who oppose them fall like wheat during harvest leaving a bountiful offering of gore to the crowd. Katarina's gift seems to hum with delight beneath her fingers, the steel drinking in blood it draws. When her dance with Darius starts coming to an end, the light wand glows even brighter before the light fades away.

Finally the song is over with all the traitors dead at their feet. Thunder and lightning boom but not a single drop of rain falls from the swollen clouds hanging low in the sky. Lux finds herself back to back with her husband. With all threats gone, he reaches for her hand with his free hand. She sheaths a dagger and grabs hold of his hand. Her light wand dangles lightly from her other hand. It feels comforting to hold hands with Darius. Like her hand belongs in his for moments like this. Lux uses a cleaning to spell to remove the blood and gore from both her and Darius. The screen above displays her victory for all to see. A perfect victory of her and Darius, two people against overwhelming numbers. It is clear that they are unharmed and spotless with a pile bodies around them. Not even Draven can pull off such a display after one of his shows! Before anyone can speak, Lux feels an itch in the back of her mind. _Tell them you're the Avatar of Noxus! Show them your light wand! Seize the moment and win their hearts!_

Lux shoves her light wand in the air and her wand is showcased on the screen. People look at up at it. Not many recognize the light wand their faces blank but curious. _Tell them you're the Avatar! They'll remember the legends!_ Again the voice commands her and that itch grows to the point of pain.

"I am the Avatar of Noxus! I will use my powers of light to bring victory to Noxus! Darius is my husband we're united in our desire to make Noxus rise above all others!" Lux shouts her words and the screen shows her holding hands with Darius. What she sees on the screen is a look of pride on her husband's face as he gazes at her. That painful itch at the back of her mind retreats. Thunder booms loud enough the buildings shake and lightning casts her in the spotlight with countless shadows around her. She drops the spell on the screen and the microphone spell. Darius gives her hand a squeeze and he leans over to kiss her. She returns the kiss not caring they're in public. His kiss is salty and tastes like iron.

With a shout of joy the crowd starts to cheer. Lux and Darius don't bother to avoid the dead bodies as they walk through the ocean of blood and guts. Now the crowd parts for them and a path is clear. Draven is ready at the pavilion at the center of the main plaza. Marcus, Katarina, and Talon clap and cheer. Talon's clapping is slow and his cheer weak. He gives her the dirtiest look. Lux gives him a sweet smile before she looks at Marcus. She, Darius, and Draven move to stand behind Marcus. Katarina and Talon shift to move on either side. Marcus approaches the microphone and the crowd goes completely silent.

"I am here to announce that I am formally adopting Darius and Draven. They are the sons of my late wife." Marcus calls out to the crowd but his next sentence is interrupted by the loudest crack of thunder yet. Pebbles on the ground shiver at the force of it as a bolt of lightning strikes the pavilion ceiling at the same time. A bright light blinds everyone leading to a deep darkness. The swollen clouds finally release the rain. Cold sheets of water fall from the sky. Not a single person moves to leave. Everyone waits eagerly awaiting the news as cold water falls from the heavens in a downpour. "After this important moment in Noxian history, Darius and Draven will finally be given the title of nobility they deserve. I am proud to make the Avatar of Noxus my daughter-in-law. Make no mistake Luxanna Crownguard is no longer a Demacian but a Noxian."


	30. TLJ14

Around Lux people laugh and talk in soft low tones. Marcus threw a celebration party to welcome his wayward sons home after he gave the huge announcement earlier. A grand party for the Noxian elite to mingle with their newest members. Glitter and glam all around her like a decorative sheath hiding a poisoned blade. She shook her head slightly at a servant that offers her a tray laden with food. Several servants carrying trays laden with food and drink make rounds. Darius stands close, his body tense. One arm lightly rests against her waist. He glares at the servant carrying a food tray but reaches for a glass of wine on a tray in the hands of another servant also making rounds.

"It's not poisoned," Darius murmurs softly before he gulps down the entire glass of wine. "Marcus knows better than allow anything questionable in here. Poisoning nobility is a capital crime, not even the Grand General is safe from. I hate politics, but it is thanks to the political force of good public relations that keep us safe."

"I know," Lux sighs as she grabs a small slice of apple pie from one of the trays. She tests it for poison, curses, anything, with her magic. For a brief second, the pie glows a dim blue. It's clean. She takes small bites of the pie. Morgana's tastes better. "I thought I had escaped this game," One of her hands makes a small sweeping motion at the sea of people. "Being thrust back into the political game of nobility kills my appetite."

"I'm sorry," Darius replies with a soft smile. He gently kisses her temple. His arm around her waist squeezes slightly before he pulls her closer.

"You should be sorry! Darius how dare you hog all of Lux. Don't others deserve the attention of the prettiest woman in the entire party?" Draven exclaims as he slaps his brother on the arm, between the plates of armor.

"Draven," Darius snarls as he glares at his brother. Draven steps closer and pries off Darius's arm from around Lux's waist.

"Not Draven, it's Draaaaven. Get it, right bro. I'm not here for you, I'm here for Lux." Draven answers back and sticks out his tongue for a quick second before he starts to tug Lux towards the dance floor. "You can't hurt me, big bro, it's my party. Nah, Nah, Nah!"

'I'll be fine.' Lux mouths at her husband who is rapidly turning a shade of red. She lets Draven lead her towards the dance floor. There several pairs of people are dancing. Her blue eyes study the calculated movements. Her shoulders slump slightly before going straight. This is a dance she knows!

"He's going to break your face if you keep pestering him," Lux tells Draven with a quirk of her lips. He places his hands on her shoulder and waist respectfully as the music lulls for a second. It picks back up, and soon Lux finds her world a spinning blur of color and light as Draven leads her through a quick dance.

"I doubt it, my dear. Draven knows best, and I know where my brother's limits are." Draven laughs and dips her quickly. His mustache touches the floor as he leans close. "Put an anti eavesdrop spell would you dearest sister?" Draven whispers into her ear, the words faint before he yanks her back up and goes back to the fast-paced dance.

Head spinning, Lux puts up a spell Draven wants. Her blue eyes focus on his face. Lux tunes out the world and pays close attention to her brother-in-law. Everything is spinning, the dance far too fast for people to read lips easily. Something is up, what does Draven want? She nods slightly with a faint wink. Draven's grin turns more friendly and his eyes glitter.

"Say what you want quickly. I'll get noticed for casting this spell quickly." Lux replies back with a grin.

"War is coming. Demacia is moving. Marcus will announce the news tomorrow afternoon. He'll want you there." Draven's response is given as the music lulls briefly. It changes to a slower tempo. "Tell my brother."

"I will," Lux whispers as she watches the world stop spinning. This dance is over. Times are changing, war is returning. Her fingers tighten briefly against the fabric of her brother-in-law's immaculate vest. A gloved hand reaches for her and pulls her away from Draven with a hard yank. Draven looks behind her his mouth gaping open.

"Can I have this dance," Talon interrupts. He shoves Draven away and glares at Lux. The music picks up again and Lux finds herself in another fast dance. She instinctively keeps up the anti-eavesdrop spell.

"Hey! You can't…" Draven snarls his face twisting, but before he can stop Talon, a woman wearing a green dress pulls him into a dance.

"First off I hate you," Talon snarls into her ear as they dance. His hands hold her close, but not hard enough to bruise. "You turned me into a cute, harmless puff of fur that sold off to a group of high school girls. I was accosted by teenagers I couldn't fuck!"

"Pffffft, that's why you wanted to dance? To tell me that?" Lux replies as her sides shake with suppressed laughter.

"Second off, you're in danger. We're all in danger thanks to your actions. The Black Rose isn't dead. You cut off two heads of the hydra, and now all of Noxus is stuck with more." Talon whispers reach Lux and he dips her as well, his face inches from hers.

"I…." Lux feels her throat close, her words stuck in a frozen ball. Cold fear curls throughout her entire body like the Freljord frost.

"Third off, Katarina says to tell you that you're still taking lessons. Just because you're family now doesn't excuse you from them. Three days from now you better show up for them. Come prepared to work hard for missing lessons." Talon says before he shoves away.

"Hey… wait a minute!" Lux yells and staggers a bit from the sudden shove. A large pair of hands helps steady her. She looks up to see Darius. His green eyes are dark. His lips slide out of a deep frown into a smile as he holds her close.

"You okay?" Darius asks as his hands lightly roam her body searching for any wounds. He gropes her ass lightly after he finds none.

"You can't grope me here!" Lux squeaks out face red. Her body wants him and she feels lust unfurl. Lust heats up and fights away fear as her husband leans close and licks one of her ears.

"I know of a place nearby we can go for a quickie. We can come back before we're missed." Darius whispers as he licks her ear then nibbles on it lightly. Lux glances at the people around them. Her old companion, full body blush, comes back to visit.

"Okay, but we really need to make it a quickie. No lingering!" Lux whispers back as her body heats up. _Yes! Yes! Sexy fun times with Darius! Yes!_ Her mind gleefully loops.

"Fuck you hard and fast, got it." Darius loops an arm through hers. He takes them towards an area she's never before.

"That's an order soldier!" Lux hisses back, body eager. Gods, she loves him so much. The world drops away leaving just her and Darius. Nothing else matters right now.

"You give the best orders, be sure to give me plenty during our quickie," Darius replies with a laugh.

"I love you," Lux whispers as she finds herself pulled into a closet.

"Love you too," Darius murmurs back as he starts to peel off her clothes.

Nothing else matters. Lux didn't want to think about war. She doesn't want to think about lessons. Her dream is a reality, she's with Darius. After they've fucked, she'll worry about the future.


	31. Cupcakes with a Side of Justice

Yet another side story to ABLADD, taking place same time frame, only with Caitlyn (and Vi). Why aren't these all different stories you wonder, listed separate? BECAUSE :L

/

Rain falls down heavily, coating the city of Piltover in a freezing torrent. This heavy rain is not unusual, as the city experiences a brief, turbulent rainy season every spring. What is different, however, is the bitter cold. Nestled between a marsh, and the ocean, Piltover is usually a temperate place. The people are not accustomed to the cold, and several leading inventors are working towards a solution. Several marvelous inventions for keeping people warm have been presented, yet not everyone can afford them.

The city's poorest struggle against the bitter weather, hoping for their statemens to present a miracle of science. After all, they've conquered the land, sea, and air with their hextech, surely they can master the weather as well? As Piltover starts to settle down for another, long, wet cold night a young woman remains firmly seated. Ignoring the steadily dropping temperatures, she continues on with her research. Unlike the poorest residents, she is better equipped to handle the night.

Long brown hair covers the side of her face, eyes glued to the manuscript in her hands. A thick fur lined leather coat covers her thin frame. Matching her expensive coat is equally pricy leather gloves, and fur lined boots. No one stops to talk to her, and she likes it that way. Caitlyn is her name, and she enjoys the solitude to pursue her work. Her father is one of the leading statesmen of the city, and often requests her to help him with his projects. As a dutiful daughter, she always agrees to help him with his work to further science. However, what he wants isn't her passion.

All Caitlyn's father wants is to further expand his knowledge, business, and hextech exploits. Mind you, he does this for the better of Piltover. What her father does for the betterment of the city only extends for the wealthiest citizens. If a person can't afford a warm coat, then they deserve to freeze. According to her father, poverty drives people to improve themselves. And if a person can't improve their lot in life with knowledge, hard work, and hextech developments, then they deserve to be miserable. Caitlyn, however, does not agree with this view. Everyone deserves an equal chance, and if a citizen is struggling to survive then they obviously don't have the same resources. That does not give anyone the right to commit a crime to get the resources they need.

Caitlyn's father never listens to her passionate speeches about justice, equality, and lowering crime rates. To him, all it is youthful idealistic babble completely meaningless to applications in the real world. Hence, why she is staying up late on a cold, rainy night. If she can prove her father wrong by researching actual city statistics, then he has to listen to her! Once she gets the evidence, she can work on a solution that benefits everyone. With enough proof, she can change the city for the better! Although she is only thirteen, almost fourteen, Caitlyn is driven to solving other's problems with a passion unequal to anyone else she knows. Everyone around her is obsessed with knowledge, but her desires for the knowledge she gathers sets her apart from her peers.

No one seems to be interested in being her friend, and Caitlyn is fine with that! She doesn't need a partner, she can solve the city's problems on her own. With enough time, effort, evidence, and proof she will change Piltover for the betterment of everyone, not just a privileged few. Wisps of brown hair fall into her eyes, obscuring her vision. She isn't a natural brunette, her hair color is actually a shade of blue. In hopes that Caitlyn will find more friends, her mother insists that she keeps it dyed a more appealing color. Personally, she doesn't care what her hair color is! What she looks like shouldn't have anything with how she handles a job. Still, it might be nice to have a single friend. Once that thought enters her mind, Caitlyn violently shakes her head to clear it.

"Hey." A loud voice yells at her.

Carefully keeping an annoyed frown in check, Caitlyn looks over at the rude person who interrupted her studies. Before her stands someone she has never encountered before! Uneven pink hair frames vivid blue eyes that stare at her with open curiosity. There is nothing threatening about the young woman before her, only keen interest shows up on her face. Caitlyn guesses the girl to be about her age. However, their shared age is the only thing they seem to have in common. Unlike Caitlyn's expensive, perfectly tailored clothing, her intruder wears mismatched, worn, fading clothing. An umbrella that barely seems able to open at all holds off the rain. Yet, she seems undeterred by the unfriendly environment.

"Hey! I said something to you. Aren't you going to answer?" She demands in a loud voice.

"Oh! Forgive me, I was wrapped up in my research. I didn't mean to ignore you, miss…?" Caitlyn replies back, voice neutral. Just because the stranger had the gall to interrupt her work doesn't give her the right to be rude back.

"Hahaha! I'm no 'miss'. People call me Vi. Pleased to meet ya!" Vi tells her with a grin, holding out one greasy hand in friendship.

Something about this gesture screams a challenge. Nothing in Vi's tone of voice seems off, but the way she holds herself seems to be waiting for something unpleasant to happen back. It is like Vi doesn't expect Caitlyn to treat her like an equal. Uncertain of Vi's game, but refusing to back down, Caitlyn smiles back and shakes her hand. A smirk crosses Vi's face as they shake hands, but a warm smile reflects out of her eyes. Caitlyn usually doesn't bother to admire someone for their looks, but Vi is most definitely beautiful, in her own rough way.

"Normally I wouldn't bother, but…" Vi says hesitantly, as if she changing her mind about something.

"But?" Caitlyn replies back, waiting for an explanation.

"You really shouldn't be here right now. It isn't safe for someone like you." Vi tells her with a shrug, trying to keep things calm and reasonable.

Eyes narrowing to mere slits, Caitlyn stares back trying to figure out what the hell is going on here. It is then that Caitlyn notices that this section of the city is oddly quiet. An ominous feeling presses down against her spine. Gut twisting with unease, Caitlyn stands up gathering her things. It is time to leave! As much as Caitlyn would like to brag that she can take care of herself, something in her gut tells her this time will be different.

"Then I guess I should be going." Caitlyn tells her politely, as she puts away her research into her purse.

"Smart idea. A pretty lady like you isn't safe on a night like this." Vi tells her with a relieved grin.

Caitlyn's heart skips a beat at being called pretty. Sure, people have given her compliments before but they never caused her to feel any different. Before she can react, Vi leans forward and brushes Caitlyn's bangs away from her face. A bright blush fills her face at the simple touch.

"I can handle myself, thank you very much!" Caitlyn snaps back, uncertain of how to react to this new development.

Bells from one of the city's many clocks rings out, signaling the time to be midnight. Vi grows tense, a concerned frown creasing her forehead. Without warning, Caitlyn finds herself being dragged down the street at a rapid pace. Vi is much stronger than her thin body suggests. Before she can start to demand Vi to let her go the sound of gun fire bursts out from nearby.

"Keep walking. Don't run. Don't look back." Vi hisses in her ear, before shoving her roughly down a different street.

Caitlyn's body follows these orders without question. Something about Vi's voice holds command over her body, and she finds herself walking away from the conflict without looking back. Loud screams of panic, pain, and terror start to echo from behind her. As much as she wants to go back, and see what is happening, Caitlyn keeps marching forward. Caitlyn isn't prepared for a fight, and she knows this. Like a fool, she has no weapons on her person. If she goes back, she would have no way to defend herself against the crimes happening behind her. Hot tears of frustration and rage mingle with the cold rain dripping down her face. People are getting hurt, and she is powerless to help them. In fact, she might be among the injured if it weren't for Vi's intervention.

A cold stone replaces her stomach. Vi might be getting hurt right now! Or worse yet, Vi is one of the people hurting others. It is now obvious to Caitlyn that Vi knew a crime was about to happen, and deliberately steered her away from it. She owed Vi a debt, and Caitlyn is uncertain how to repay it. One thing is certain, however! A crime happened in her city, and she didn't have the tools to stop it from happening. That will not happen again. Never again will she be without a weapon to stop criminals from acting. Crime is a problem in her city, and Caitlyn silently vows to end it at all costs.

No one is awake when Caitlyn finally gets home. Careful not to spoil her mother's pricy rugs with her wet clothing, Caitlyn strips out of her soaking garments in the dark hallway. A robotic servant will take care of her mess. Silent she creeps past her parent's bedroom and into her own. Various gadgets, papers, and tools litter her desk. Ignoring the clutter, Caitlyn ruffles around for a particular object. Once she finds her journal, she turns on a small lamp giving off the tiniest of lights. Using a pencil, then pen, then colored markers, Caitlyn draws Vi in her journal from memory. With great care, Caitlyn records the entire interaction between them. To the best of her memory, which is very good, she writes down what they said to each other. Pleased with her work, Caitlyn puts her journal back where she got it from.

Once she is comfortable, sleep refuses to come to her. Every time she closes her eyes, images of pink hair and blue eyes fill her mind. The feeling of Vi's hand on her face fills her body with a feeling she's never felt before. A sensation that is making it very hard to fall asleep. Caitlyn makes up her mind about one thing, before her mind allows her to drift off to slumber. If Vi can have pink hair, then she should be able to have her hair blue. Why hide her hair color? Right now, her hair is brown and she doesn't have any friends like her mother wants. She will change the city, and she will do it her way. No need to hide behind something she isn't, just for the sake of her parents.


	32. Cupcakes2

Hextech lamps dimly light this section of Piltover. Several of the lamps desperately need repair, their illuminating glow flickering in and out. Shadows dance erratically in the faint light offering a lot of places to hide and Caitlyn is fine with this. It gives her an edge, and she will happily take any edge she can get. Earlier today her father had been mugged, his belongings stolen away and the criminals weren't captured. The moment she found out, an idea became firmly planted in her mind. If she can catch the criminals who stole from her father, she could prove herself worthy of her cause.

Caitlyn has always had an interest in solving problems, puzzles, and helping others. However, her father wants her to follow in his footsteps. To him, those interests are just trivial things to keep a child happy until they grow up and took on real projects. However, after her encounter with Vi, Caitlyn realized something important about Piltover, and herself. Crime is a serious issue in Piltover that isn't being properly addressed. Until all criminals are locked behind bars there can't be true progress. The vision her parents so strongly believe in can't happen as the city stands now, riddled with injustice. If people as young as Vi are forced to commit crimes to survive, then there is no true progress happening. After her encounter with Vi, the urge to save others became her obsession.

A fire burns deep in Caitlyn's very core, a desire to make things right for everyone. There will be justice for everyone! By her hands, she will eradicate all crime and make it possible for everyone to succeed. No longer will the lack of justice force citizens like Vi to break the law just to make ends meet. Oh, she knows that there is more to changing the city then just catching criminals. There has to change in city policy for one thing. It will take her years, if not her entire life, to bring an end to crime in Piltover. In order to succeed, however, Caitlyn needs to prove the value of her chosen path in life.

Small trickles of sweat drip down her palms, her knuckles white against the stock of her father's rifle. Without pausing, Caitlyn stalks down an alleyway. Faint voices echo in the night. Just three blocks in front of her is the target. An old warehouse sits dark, except for a dim glow on the third story. After spending an entire afternoon asking questions, comparing notes, and some research led her to this building. Once a storehouse for a hextech company it now sits abandoned as business moved out of the area. Currently it is used as an exchange of stolen goods for drugs. The door is left unlocked and unguarded.

A smiles stretches across Caitlyn's face. Heart beating fast and heavy, her eyes gleam in the dim light. Soon the chase will end, and it will be glorious! One shoulder nudges the door open, keeping it close to her body. Voices can be heard from above. If her memory serves her right, this building design should have two staircases. Slowly closing the door behind her, Caitlyn pauses listening. No change in the noise volume. Once the coast is clear, she continues her way to the rear staircase.

This door is locked. One hand reaches into a pocket withdrawing a pick. It takes a few minutes, but Caitlyn manages to pick the lock. Thick dust carpets these stairs. Rust stains the stairwell and hand rail. As quietly as she can, she tiptoes up the stairs. Each step creaks beneath her feet, protesting her weight. Pausing, she listens for trouble. Still no change. Up she goes, taking care to keep quiet. The second story landing passes without incident.

As Caitlyn nears the third story landing, the voices get louder. Unable to make out exact words, she listens to the tone and pitch. They're fighting over something. Slowly she pushes open the door to the third floor. Unused for years, the door protests with a groan. As the door swings open quickly Caitlyn steps back taking refuge on the stairs. Rifle at the ready, Caitlyn waits for someone to notice.

The arguing voices go silent. Her presence is no longer undetected. Caitlyn's eyes are already adjusted to the gloom. About four doors down the hallway, light shines out from under the door. A young man steps out into the hallway armed with a club. Carefully taking aim, she waits for him to turn her way. BANG! Goes the rifle, dust flying off the walls from the gunshot. Panic erupts from the room into the hallway. As men pour out of the room, she takes aim trying to keep the shots nonfatal. Each shot she fires hits the intended target. Soon four men are crumpled in a heap in the hallway.

Groans and curses fill the air. Blood starts to run down the hallway filling her nostrils with its metallic scent. Five men mugged her father. According to her sources, they were meeting with three others. Half of them are down, but the job isn't done. Time to play the waiting game. One minutes passes by, then another. Sweat drips down her face. Shadows flicker from the entrance. With a yell two men rush out the door. Guns go off, bullets blazing. One bullet brushes past her check narrowly missing her. Bang! Bang! Two more men drop the ground. Only two left. As the minutes pass, Caitlyn reloads her gun. Finally, the last two men step out the door hands raised up in surrender.

"On your knees! Hands up!" Caitlyn barks out. They obey.

Using a small hextech radio, Caitlyn calls in to the closet police station. It doesn't take long for the Piltover police to arrive. They had been deployed at the first sounds of gunfire. Once the police arrive Caitlyn gives her report. One hand pulls out a sheet showing all of her evidence that lead to this. They take it without protest. The officers seem more in shock about her behavior then the criminals she took down. Back straight, she marches home.

Both of her parents are awake and waiting. The police had called them, informing them of her actions. As Caitlyn walks in the door to her home, she is embraced by her mother. As Caitlyn looks over her mother's shoulder, she sees the distaste in her father's eyes. With a soft squeeze, she returns her mother's hug before breaking away.

"I'm fine mom. I'll be doing this from now on. Father, I need use of your gun. Once I save enough, I will be buying my own. Goodnight." Caitlyn informs them.

Caitlyn's father doesn't say a single thing as she walks past him. Her mother is also silent. Neither of them protest her actions. However, the lack of support from them stings. Wouldn't it have hurt them to congratulate her good work? No matter! She isn't doing this for them, she is doing for Piltover. As she gets ready for bed, an image of Vi pops into her head. Hopefully one day she can talk to Vi again, only next time it will be different between them.


	33. Cupcake3

A soft spring breeze whispers in Caitlyn's ear. One hand absentmindedly brushes wayward blue hair out of her eyes. Resting against her back is a new rifle. It taken exactly three months to earn up enough gold to buy it. Today is the first day she is taking it out on her rounds. By now she has established several routes she travels through Piltover gathering clues. Crime happens all the time, but it happens more often in certain areas of town. Thus, it makes sense to spend more time where the action is. Her current route takes her through the docks. First she has to get there, and she has chosen to walk instead of catching a taxi.

A lot of things happen in the Piltover docks. Not only does the city host a large ship yard, but it also contains a train yard, and air strip. It isn't difficult to get in or out of Piltover. The trick is getting out of the city with the stolen goods. Due to the strict monitoring of the trains, and air ships, most criminals try to exit the city via ship. Due to politics with Bilgewater cargo restrictions are lighter.

It doesn't help that a decent sized population of yordles are smuggling goods to Bandle City from the docks. Sure, Piltover is on good terms with Bandle City, and has a large population of yordle citizens, but not every yordle plays by the rules. The little fellows are fast, clever, and sneaky at the worst of times. At their best? Just about impossible to handle. Well, that is what the current sheriff of Piltover told her. Caitlyn is determined to prove him wrong. Yordles are welcome in her city, but only if they follow the laws. If the current sheriff doesn't want to deal with them, she will.

Eventually Caitlyn will be the sheriff. Until then, she has to be patient and work her way up the ranks. Hell, she can't even join the Piltover Police ranks officially yet! A citizen has to be at least eighteen to a police officer. She is barely fourteen, Caitlyn can't join them yet. However, it is legal for her to own a weapon. She can also place people under a citizen's arrest if she uses nonlethal force to stop them. As long as she is careful, follows all the rules, technically no one can stop her. Justice will be served, and it will be done by her hands.

A small smile tugs at her lips. In front of her is the start of the docks. Wafting scents of fish, ocean, and oil greet her. A few people throw her a greeting. A wave of the hand, a shout, or a grin – it varies from person to person. Caitlyn returns all greetings with a small nod of her head. She also takes mental notes of who greets her. Hostility is often a sign of trouble. It might save her neck later if she remember an unfriendly face in the crowd.

On this route she is just observing. A lot of people have strange notions how sleuthing works. Her most powerful tool is not her rifle, but her eyes. The tiniest detail can solve the toughest of crimes better than any number of bullets. Caitlyn walks through the docks back straight. Carefully she notes everything around her, mentally categorizing it in her mind's eye. Later she'll note down everything of importance, and draw out things she'll need to look over later. For now most of her attention is on the small things. Most importantly, the tools, transportation methods, and habits of the local yordles.

There aren't a lot of books on yordles. They're a surprising private race of creatures. Oh, they're friendly enough – but they don't share much about themselves. Almost everything Caitlyn knows about them is what she has observed. Caitlyn tried traditional research on yordles, but there were only two books in the entire Piltover Library on them! Next she tried just asking the ones she knew questions, but that didn't go far either. Movement to her far right catches her eye.

A group of young yordles, roughly ten years of age, are playing at the edge of the street. The youngest of the lot, a female whose skin is a pale shade of pink, is off to the side lost in thought. Yordle children are the most open, and easiest to talk to. Perhaps she can befriend the girl? Mind made up, Caitlyn starts striding towards them.

"Watch out!" A panicked voice yells out.

Across the street from the yordles something comes crashing down. Somehow a crate full of canned goods has burst open in midair. A rain of cans starts tumbling towards the ground. At the speed the cans are traveling, they could easily do serious harm, possibly kill a yordle that small! One hand pulls her rifle off her shoulder and into the ready position.

"Take cover!" Caitlyn shouts out.

Bang! Bang! Bang! With each shot of her rifle a can is hit. Bang! Bang! Bang! She can't shoot all the falling objects! There are too many. But, she can redirect the largest ones away from hitting the children. As the objects from the crate rain down on those below, Caitlyn fires a hail of bullets to deflect them. Finally out of rounds Caitlyn, finishes closing the distance between her and the yordles.

No one is moving. No one says anything. Worry spikes through her heart. Each pounding footstep on the pavement drives the fear deeper. Did she miss any cans? How badly hurt are the injured? Dropping to her knees, Caitlyn looks over the group of young ones for any signs of harm. Her rifle is set down to her right.

All of them look to be in shock. Thankfully there is no blood, or bad bruising. One of the males, a fuzzy lad with golden fur, has been hit by a smaller can. No one else seems to have taken any damage. Before Caitlyn can say anything a roar overcomes her. A small horde of yordle parents are running towards her. It seems like the parents had been working in a shop nearby. Anxious parents examine each of their kids for any serious harm. Hugs, tears, and shouts are going on around her in equal measure.

"Hurrah! Hurrah for Caitlyn!" Someone hollers out.

People start cheering her name out, louder and louder. Swarms of people, yordle and human alike, surround her. Calloused hands haul her to her feet. Another pair of hands returns her rifle. Seemingly countless voices are chanting her name.

Before long the majority of the crowd disperses back into working order. The excitement is over, work has to be done by the end of the shift. One by one the yordle youth hug her in thanks. Most of the hugs are brief, but sincere. Their parents are giving her thankful looks, but none of them seem overly friendly. After all, surely it was a human that caused this problem in the first place? The common look of mistrust doesn't surprise her. However, the last one to hug her is the little pink skinned girl. Long dark pink covers most of her face, yet a brief glimpse at her shows bright red pupils. Instead of releasing her after the initial hug, the little yordle continues to cling to Caitlyn's legs.

"Tsk, tsk Rosalee! Let the poor human go. She's got work to do. You can't keep her from her job." An elderly yordle says with a gruff voice.

Off to Caitlyn's left is a very, very old yordle. One of the oldest she has ever seen. His body fur is completely aged white, his hair a thinned grey mass. Countless wrinkles cover his face, except for a rather busy white mustache and beard. Bright brown eyes gleam with an intelligence gained from a long, long life.

"Please forgive her. My little Rosalee doesn't get much attention. It really impressed her that you bothered to save her, and the others. I was watching. You shot every can that would have hit one of them. Twice you deflected away lethal blows from my little Rosalee. For that, you have my gratitude. She's the last of my line." He explains as he walks over towards them.

Without saying a word, little Rosalee refuses to release Caitlyn's legs. Her entire body is shaking slightly, and small droplets fall from her eyes. As Caitlyn observes the little yordle, it becomes clear that something is off about her. It more than her unusual skin coloring, the little gal hasn't spoken a single word. An aura of loneliness just pours off her in waves. It reminds Caitlyn of herself, in a way.

"No, she's fine. I'm not bothered at all. In fact, I could use the company on my rounds. If she can keep up, she is welcome to join me." Caitlyn says with a smile.

One of her hands replaces her rifle over her shoulder. Caitlyn's other hand reaches out towards the little yordle. Eyes wide with surprise, Rosalee just stares up at her in shock for a moment. Before long, however, she is jumping up and down. Quickly she claps her hands together before reaching out and taking hold of Caitlyn's hand.

"If you don't mind, I'll keep an eye on her while I do my rounds. It should take me about an hour, maybe two if things go slow. I'll return her to this exact spot. You have my word that none shall harm her." Caitlyn replies solemnly.

"Very well. I shall continue my work. My little Rosalee doesn't say much, but she can speak. I will look for you in an hour's time." The old yordle answers back before turning away from her.

As the two of them start to walk down the street, hand in hand, Caitlyn starts to explain her job to Rosalee. At moments when they are waiting to cross a busy road, Caitlyn pauses and describes why it is important to do these things. Why fighting crime is important, why detective work is exciting, and so much more. Although her companion says nothing in return, she can tell that the little yordle is listening very carefully. No one has ever really listened to Caitlyn before. At least, not with such keen interest. Most people just shrug off her words as meaningless. Yet, Rosalee treats everything she says like they are the most important things ever said out loud. It feels nice to have someone take her work seriously.

As her rounds come to an end, Caitlyn finds herself reluctant to part ways with her new friend. Rosalee has yet to say a single word, but that is fine with her. Rosalee will speak when she is ready to, not before. Just as they come back in sight of their starting point, Rosalee lets go of her hand. Without pause Rosalee runs up to her grandfather and speaks for the first time.

"C-c-cupcake. F-for muh-my f-friend." Little Rosalee says with grave importance.

So that is why Rosalee doesn't speak much! She has a bad stutter. Filing away that piece of information, Caitlyn just smiles at the two yordles. It will be dark soon, and she needs to start documenting the clues she picked up while with Rosalee. Despite talking the entire time, nothing escapes her keen gaze.

"Of course, my little Rosie. We'll get your new friend cupcakes. I know it is getting late, but it would you kindly join us? I'll treat you to the best cupcakes in this part of Piltover. And, by the way, my name is Kos." Kos informs her politely.

Although he phrases his question like a request, it isn't one. He is flat out demanding that Caitlyn come with him, and Rosalee, to get cupcakes. Something about the way the two of them talk about cupcakes seems oddly serious for such a treat. With a smile and nod, and Caitlyn motions that she will follow them. Rosalee again claps with joy, and reaches out for her hand.

Before long, Caitlyn finds herself led to a small side street. It is filled with entirely yordle traffic. All of the stores lining the sides of the street are meant for yordle customers. None of the doorways are tall enough for her to enter through! She had no idea that such places existed in Piltover. Sure, she knew that the city had a sizable yordle population, but she didn't know that there were shops only sized for yordles. None of the yordles would look her in the eyes.

In the middle of the street is a packed shop. Not just any shop, but a bakery! Upon inspection, it proves to be a bakery that only sells cupcakes. Her eyes sweep around her constantly. This is new information for her. She won't be able to come back, not without drawing too much attention to herself. What she can learn from this sole encounter has to matter. No detail is too small to be unnoticed. Kos goes into the bakery, one 'Cutie Cupcakes Bakery.' After several minutes, he returns with a bag full with three cupcakes. In silence, the three of them leave the street the way they came.

At the end of the street is the end of the docks. A small grassy plaza is provided for green space. Hextech lamps come to life, providing illumination to the night. Kos solemnly hands her a fancy purple cupcake with a cherry on top. His cupcake is green with yellow sprinkles, and Rosie's a pink cupcake with white sprinkles, and small slice of orange on top. In comfortable silence, the three of them sit down on the grass and eat their cupcakes.

"Thank you very much." Caitlyn says once she finishes eating her treat.

"No, thank you. You've done a great thing for my little Rosie today. It brings my old heart joy seeing the happiness you bring my grandchild. Not many people spend time with her, and you just volunteered an entire afternoon. We would like to see you again sometime soon. You do this route often? And…Just food for thought, since you seem so interested in yordles – a yordle can never resist a cupcake." Kos tells her with a smile, then a wink.

"Buh-buh-b-bye. S-s-s-see y-you s-s-s-soon?" Rosalee asks shyly.

"Of course! I'll gladly take you on any route I do. I have a route close to the docks we can do in a few days together. But, now, I need to get going. Goodnight Rosalee, goodnight Kos." Caitlyn tells them with a smile.

As Caitlyn walks home, her mind swirls with information. Today has been one of the most fruitful yet! All of the things she learned about yordles pales in the past pales to what she learned in just an afternoon. Warm feelings press against her stomach at the memory of Rosalee. More important than the information she learned, is her new friend. Caitlyn really hasn't had a friend before. Now, she has one.

Protective feelings flow from her chest, flooding her entire body. Earlier today, she did something to protect the people of Piltover. Today, she saved lives. Before today, Caitlyn's work has been to help a faceless public. Now, Piltover in her eyes has a face of innocence to protect. One small, pink yordle with wide red eyes is a new reason for her job.

Later that night, after Caitlyn finishes recording all of her sleuthing data into her journal she flops down on her bed. As usual, an image of Vi resurfaces in her mind. Every night, Caitlyn remembers Vi, her uneven pink hair, and vivid blue eyes. This time, she silently introduces Rosalee to Vi, thinking that the two of them would get along great. Thanks to Vi saving her, all those nights ago, she was able to save those young yordles today. One day, she will return the favor. One day, she will give Vi the thanks she deserves. Until then, she has pesky yordles to track down and stop. And, indirectly thanks to Vi, she now has an idea how.

Early the next morning, Caitlyn rolls out of bed. Three minutes after she climbs out of bed, her alarm clock starts to beep. Today, she needs an early start. After some late night research, Caitlyn found that a promising inventor has a shop, and a son, she can ask for help with her next project. What she needs is strong traps that won't do serious harm to a small body. That involves hextech knowledge beyond her current set. So, she'll ask the help of a famous rodent trap maker for help. He has a son, Jayce, who is around her age. Perhaps he can help with her?


	34. CupCake4

Caitlyn's eyes sweep up and down the street taking in all details. All the buildings are tucked tightly together. Materials used in construction are faded, worn, and often need replacing. Street signs are useless, completely unreadable. If the alleys between buildings are completely clean, a small yordle might be able to traverse it. In their current condition, only the main streets are passable. People of all types traverse the maze like streets. Average building height is two stories, connected to a massive connected underground system. Workshops, stores, and various repair shops line the first levels. Second stories house families, supplies, and various other things.

Somewhere in this hodgepodge maze of small workshops is the one she wants. Due to her father's views on success, Caitlyn has never been to this section of Piltover before. Most of the inventors here replicate standard hextech. Very little new hextech is produced from these shops. Instead the scientists make their earnings making cheaper models of popular hextech. 'Cancerous tumors, feeding off the truly great,' her father would exclaim loudly, often about this section of town. 'Only stealing the latest greatest hextech, and making inferior ripoffs to pander to the lowly masses!' Hands forming tight fists, Caitlyn tries to ignore her father's words. He's wrong about these people! Back stiffening, she marches down one of the larger streets.

Most of the popular shops have recognizable addresses, visible to the regular citizen. Not all businesses boast this kind of success. Often, the shops display a logo on a banner held over their entrance. A few entrances are dark with zero markings. Best to avoid those places for now. Heavy on her back rests her rifle, a constant companion. So far, it is the only partner she needs to do her job! About fifteen minutes of looking at seemingly endless shops, Caitlyn finds the one she seeks. "Jay's All in One Hextech" is a fairly well off place, having both street address and banner. The owner is one of the few who actively creates new hextech. Despite his success, he's refused all offers to join a larger, more successful company. An oddity, indeed!

Small bells chirp and chime as she steps into the shop. Various hextech line shelves, clearly marked, labeled, and priced. Different size stools allow customers to reach merchandise on the higher shelves. Not a speck of dust is to be seen. Everything metal gleams, freshly polished. Scents of lemon, oil, and cedar reach her nose. Unlike the uneven road to get here, all the stones in the floor are even. Not long after her entrance, a young man rushes out to greet her.

Again, Caitlyn assess this newcomer. He appears to be a bit older than her, but not by much. Messy brown hair hangs low over his eyes, hiding their color. A dimple forms on his cheek as he smiles at her. Awkwardly cute now, she decides looking over his attempts to be charming. However, once he fully matures, this young man will be dastardly handsome.

"Welcome to Jay's! My name's Jayce, how can I assist you today? Is there any particular invention you're looking for? We have some new makeup appliers! Not that a pretty lady like you needs…" Jayce says, attempting to charm her into a good sell.

"No thank you. I'm looking for a non lethal trap for a large sized...rodent. Roughly the size of a hunting hextech hound. It must be strong enough to completely immobilize the target without causing serious injury or death. Price will not be an issue, but your sad attempts to impress me will be an issue. I can take my coin elsewhere, Mr. Jayce!" Caitlyn snaps, temper growing quickly short at his attempts to be charming. A small bluff will hopefully work, because there aren't any other shops with what she needs. At least, with what she needs free from her father's prying eyes. Blast it all, her father seems determined to know everything she's doing, and tell her in detail how fruitless her efforts are!

"Oh, um...sorry. I didn't mean to offend you miss. I take it you're a hunter? What kind of prey do you hunt that don't want want killed? Do you want the hide left undamaged? We have traps that will not damage the skin of an animal, but it is lethal…" Jayce stammers at her brusque nature, but recovers from her cold shoulder quickly.

Caitlyn mentally gives Jayce some kudos at his recovery. Jumping away from the pretty miss wants makeup, he assumed that she is a hunter. Not entirely surprising, considering the rifle on her back, and the nature of the hextech she seeks. His gaze goes dark, as he seems to puzzle over her unusual request. If she wants her traps, Caitlyn will need to work with this young man. She'll give him a chance, for now.

"You could say I'm a hunter, of sorts. I'm working with Piltover law enforcement. We have a yordle problem. I need a trap that will stop them from escaping, but not kill them. Nothing like that exists, that I've found," Caitlyn explains, with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Huh, you're Caitlyn huh? I never thought I'd see you here! It is an honor to meet you. As to your trap, I can't think of anything that we have that would work. My father is out of town, so he can't help you with any new designs," Jayce replies back, face turning pink at recognizing her.

Caitlyn makes note that her reputation is spreading. Something that can be useful, or dangerous, depending on how she uses it in the future. Blast it though, that the inventor she seeks is out of town! Hopefully Jayce inherited some of his father's creative genius. She can't afford to waste time, waiting for one particular man to get back.

"Waiting until your father gets back is not good. I don't want to waste any time! Here, what do you think about these plans? I can't get past the standard third kog, two spring closing method! Surely you have some ideas!" Caitlyn explains, voice rising in annoyance at this setback. One hand reaches into a bag at her side. Quickly she pulls out a set of papers, various designs scribbled on both sides. With a snap of her wrist, she sets down her ideas on the counter in front of her.

"Hmmm, let me look at those..." Jayce mutters thoughtfully, as he looks over her thoughts on a new trap. "This idea looks promising, I hadn't thought to apply Markzen's spring like that...Hey! I have an idea that might work! You got any prototypes on you?" Jayce yells in joy, eyes brightening at the thought of a new challenge.

"Of course I do. I wouldn't come here unprepared." Caitlyn responds, a smile crossing her face. His genuine interest in making her trap come true is refreshing.

"Excellent! Follow me, I have a workshop in the back. Let me try something, you might think it'll be useful. What will you use as bait though? Yordles are slippery…" Jayce tells her, as he lifts up a section of the counter. He gestures in the direction of his workshop.

"Oh, I don't know. I'll think of something to use as bait. Though, I love a good cupcake! Does your family have any recipes for cupcakes I can look at?" Caitlyn replies back, a laugh in her throat. Finally things are going her way! Help with her trap designs, people who actually care about her work...it almost seems like she's making friends! Tonight, once she's done with today's errands, Caitlyn will record everything in journal. Every night as she drifts off to sleep, she tells Vi about her day. If Vi could meet Jayce, would she like him? Does she want Vi to like Jayce? Forcing those traitorous thoughts from her mind, Caitlyn listens to Jayce ramble off idea after idea. Who Vi likes or doesn't like, isn't her problem. The crime in Piltover is!

/

Note - This is the last site I update. I post new content much, much more often on AO3


	35. CupCake5

"Did I get the frosting right this time?" Caitlyn inquires, holding out a spoon covered with pink frosting. She's been desperate to perfect her frosting recipe for her cupcake baits. With Jayce's help she invented the trap she wanted for the job. What proved even trickier? Getting a bait that will attract yordles even though they know it's a baited trap. Thankfully, her pink haired partner loves to help taste test.

Rosalee takes the spoon from her. One small pink tongue licks off all the frosting in a single go. Long pink hair shakes back and forth. One of her friends small fingers taps her cheeks in thought. Caitlyn waits for her partner's reply. It has been exactly five years since that fateful encounter at the Piltover Dockyard.

After countless hours of being an unofficial city police officer, the City of Piltover accepted her as the youngest policemen on city record. Mostly to save the poor clerks paperwork. No matter how legal her arrests were, they still generated a lot of unusual, time consuming paperwork. Still, she made it! Plus, she isn't alone in her ventures to rid Piltover of crime. Not even two years on the job, Rosalee became her partner. Caitlyn couldn't ask for a better one!

"T-too much s-s-sour c-c-cream." Rosalee explained before handing back her the spoon.

"Damn! I'll have to wait on adjusting the recipe. I heard that there was another break-in near downtown. You know what that means," Caitlyn growls in annoyance.

Yet again, she's failed at making the perfect cupcake frosting! To make things worse a mysterious crime spree has been hitting up downtown. Seemingly impossible break-ins are happening all over downtown. Nothing is stolen after those break-ins. But, that doesn't stop the rich business owners from complaining about her failing to do her job.

"G-g-got y-y-y-you a-a g-g-gift," Rosalee tells her as they start to walk out the door. "O-on y-your d-d-desk."

"Thanks partner." Caitlyn says with warmth.

There is only one type of gift from Rosalee, and that is information. More specifically data on her interest Vi. Once her partner found out that Caitlyn has been keeping a running file on the criminal named "Vi", Rosalee has been using the yordle gossip network for her. After enough knowledge is acquired, Rosalee leaves the info on Caitlyn's desk. Despite years having passed since her meeting with Vi, Caitlyn remembers it vividly. She hasn't encountered Vi, in person, since then. One day, she hopes to have a conversation with Vi and thank her.

Until then, Caitlyn's life is very routine. She likes it this way, nice and simple. Things were a bit duller since Jayce started on some personal project. Something about new energy sources? Jayce is second source of explosions in her life. Ziggs being the first, but Ziggs is an experience all on his own. Thankfully, Ziggs rarely crosses paths with her these days. Not since he was given an official title. Sanctioned explosions are much easier to clean up, paperwork wise! Heimendinger has been supplying the means to clean up after Ziggs' literal messes. The two of them really bonded after that incident. In front of the main exit a crowd is forming. Steps slowing, Caitlyn looks for the cause of the hold up. One of their stationary robot officers is stirring wildly. Probably going to make an office wide announcement.

"Head's up everyone! There's a new case the city-council wants solved. ASAP! All other cases are put on hold until it's cleared," Yells out one of the robot officers. Dubbed 'Vox', this stationary robot yells out new orders from the sheriff directly. No wonder everyone is pausing! The last time Vox stirred was for a city wide crisis.

"Huh?" Caitlyn and Rosalee mutter together. What could be so important to put everything on hold this time?

"An inventor from Zaun was kidnapped off our streets less than an hour ago. They were carrying plans for hextech weaponry on route to Noxus. Official business permits of course! But Noxus wants the plans recovered. Demacia will want them too, once they find out. For the sake of not getting dragged into the war between those two, we've got to get them back." Vox drones out.

Silence reigns for less than a minute. Then chaos breaks out. No one in Piltover wants to get dragged into the Noxian-Demacian conflicts! Sure, they are allies with Demacia. Yet, that they still manage to stay neutral when it comes to anything battle related. Since Noxian military secrets are AWOL in Piltover, that puts them in the spotlight. If fingers get pointed at intentional sabotage, it could lead to an all out war. With some of the council members, her father included, suggesting that neutrality is hindering scientific progress this could be a front for war. Best have a talk with her father.

"Rosalee, the docks first? Or the airstrip?" Caitlyn asks, one fist balled up. Stones line her stomach. Instincts scream that something fishy is going on.

"D-d-docks. G-gramps f-f-f-first. A-always." Rosalee explains, her small hand grabbing hold of her favorite weapon.

"Smart choice." Caitlyn grabs for her rifle, and an extra case of rounds.

"G-g-got a b-b-b-bad f-f-feeling," Rosalee tells her, a single fang peaking out from her mouth.

"Me too. Let's find this inventor before all hell breaks out. Piltover does not need this political mess up." Caitlyn replies, yet her guts still scream that something is off. Never before has she felt an unease like this before! Something that looks like two figures dance in the corner of her vision. A woman in white with a large black dog? How'd they get past her? Yet, when she looks at where they were should be, nothing!


	36. CupCakes6

Rain fell from the heavens, coating Piltover in a frozen coat of ice, several inches thick as it froze on contact. Such weather is not unheard of; in the areas further north of Piltover. To the people living in the city-state, it was a new horror never experienced before. Not even Rosalee's grandfather's grandfather had heard of such a thing. Weather data from Demacia called it freezing rain, the locals called it sleet. Caitlyn personally called it rather unsavory names; loudly and often to anyone who would listen. It made her job so much more difficult. It is so hard to chase down perps if the roads are an ice rink.

Demacia don't really depend hextech like Piltover. Instead of reliable technology; tested, tried and true, their allies prefered mages. Human's can't be trusted to reliable, it's a fact she's learned the hard way on the job. So while Piltover got plenty of data on this Gods forsaken weather anomaly, there was no accompanying hextech support. A flurry of eager creators were constantly providing prototypes to help, nothing of real value had been provided. For the best Piltover has is a finicky de-icing robots that focus primary on keeping the main roads clear. Many of the wealthier business used various heating devices to keep their section of the sidewalks clear of ice. Her father determined that the sidewalks don't need to be kept ice free for everyone. Only those who are able to provide the hextech to clear sidewalks of ice deserve to have a safe place to walk. Caitlyn was no longer on speaking terms with her father, this was all gathered second hand from her mother.

At this point, Caitlyn's father had refused to have anything to do with his "useless" daughter. Since she wasn't following in his footsteps, doing what he wanted, he had no need of her. Instead, all of her family support came from her mother. At the age of seventeen she had moved out into a small apartment, within walking distance of her job. The sheriff had grudging hired her on the Piltover Police Force. His reasoning is that it saves him paperwork if he doesn't have to fill out the paperwork for 'helpful citizen'. Caitlyn didn't care, she was doing what she loved! Rosalee, with blessing from her grandfather, also moved into her small flat. To save on space, they used bunk beds. The flat was small, maybe four hundred square feet. Everything inside had to have a vital function, otherwise there would be no room for Caitlyn or Rosalee to work. The pressure for Chief Steele was massive to find the missing Zaunite. Often these days Caitlyn and Rosalee poured over their gathered evidence after spending the day on the streets asking questions.

Today has been one such a day where they didn't work in their office, but instead at their apartment. Thanks to there being no other yordles on staff, the office funiture wasn't very yordle friendly. No one would buy anything in Rosalee's size, and due to safety regulations, they couldn't bring in anything. Chief Steele barely tolerated Caitlyn, and was nice mostly because of her being on the council. This didn't extend to Rosalee, who was treated like trash. Caitlyn spent most of her day at the office holding back her tongue. As the youngest members, they were not treated with any level of respect. Did her fellow officers ever take into consideration her successful track record with Rosalee? No, all they saw was a 'little girl who shouldn't waste their time.' Nothing they said to deter her ever worked. A passion burned in her to make Piltover a better place. Weak minded idiots were not going to stop her!

 _Thack!_ A small rubber band bounces off her neck with a hard sting. Right hand flying up to the spot, Caitlyn is startled out of her thoughts. Gaze quickly shifts from the neglected paperwork under her balled up fists, to the source of the attack. Rosalee is making a finger gun at her, another rubberband already in place. As they make direct eye contact, Caitlyn's eyes looking into Rosalee's, she realizes just how much she'd drifted off the case. All it takes is a sharp nod of her head, for Rosalee to put down her loaded rubber band finger gun. Grateful for Rosalee helping her stay on track, she flashes a quick thumbs up. Then she drags her eyes back to a stack of handwritten reports.

Today the two of them had been at the docks, interviewing every they could. As it stands, with Noxus calling the city of Piltover weak, Zaun calling out for retribution for the loss of their prized scientist, and Demacia hovering a vulture, the city went into lockdown. No one gets in or out, by any means. There are roadblocks stopping any land traffic, the docks are under heavy guard, as well as the airstrip. Just as important as it is to prevent war, with the city refusing all traffic, food supplies are running low. Reports of food shortages are in the daily newspapers, along with with increased fist fights breaking out between the poorer members of Piltover. As it stands, her beloved city-state is a powder keg ready to explode into a violent riot. That would make her job hell, because she knows that a lot of poorer citizens will be locked up for just wanting to the basics needed to survive. As the laws currently stand, such arrest records will it make it nigh impossible for the people who honest work the most, impossible to acquire. Once there is a single incident of violence or theft, no reputable businesses will hire someone. That leads to an increase in illegal activities just for survival. Just a vicious cycle Caitlyn hates with undying passion. Her fingers tap against her desk, as her eyes read over the over reports one more time.

Something about her reports seem off, but Caitlyn can't put her finger on it exactly. All it is one of the dock workers explaining why he was late to work that day. Anyone working in transportation areas are required to say where they are any given day for the past two weeks. This particular worker is a bit of thorn in her side. Despite a lot of circumstantial evidence pointing towards him being a smuggler of illegal hextech, not once has she gotten enough concrete evidence to place charges on him. His alibi is solid, but it doesn't feel right to her. Supposedly, Marcus Mason had been visiting his brother, and his sister-in-law. They had just had their first child, and he was helping around their place. Of course she'd checked it out, and it had proven solid. Both Lukas Mason, and his wife, had a child recently, and had both had vouched that Marcus had been very helpful around the house in that time.

"It just seems odd that Marcus would take time off work to help his brother, and sister-in-law. I thought he hated his sister-in-law." Caitlyn mutters out loud, still unable to get past how weird it feels.

"H-he does. D-didn't t-t-the i-inventor v-v-vanish i-in the same d-d-distract L-l-lukas l-lives in?" Rosalee asks, her eyes widening some at the realization.

Thanks to yordles being extremely curious about their neighbors, and having eyes in every small corner of the city, Rosalee's gossip is often vital to their success rate on cases. Caitlyn jumps out of her seat, one hand reaching for her favorite top hat. Her mother made her a scope for sniping, that rests rather neatly on her hat. Roughly once a month, her mother gifts Caitlyn with some fancy, experimental hextech. Rosalee is right behind her, putting on boots. It's a gift from her mother, auto-adjusting metal cleats on her boots, that allow her to easily chase down perps on the icy streets. Caitlyn's mother also gives a smaller, yordle sized, version of any hextech she gives Caitlyn to Rosalee. That way her partner can keep up, as her mother explained once.

As Caitlyn is running out the door when she spots two figures from the corner of her eyes. A woman in white wearing a black wolf mask, and a dark black canine shape wearing a white lamb mask look at her, before completely fading from view. Caitlyn hates when she spots those two, because always when she does, someone dies. Rosalee's grandfather had explained to her, in very hushed tones, of the legends of Wolf and Lamb. They are Death, and they're something like a force of nature. Not exactly a God, certainly not a mortal, and always able to be there for when someone dies. Caitlyn has never seen them taking a life, usually she spots them from the corner of her eyes. By the time she turns her gaze to focus in, and get a good luck, they're gone. It's frustrating! Of course, she's since sketched them over a dozen times in her personal notebooks. They've almost got the same number of sketches as Vi. However, now she's really worried.

Before this case threatened war, whenever she saw them, it didn't really phase her. People die all the time. Innocents are killed by evil people, and she's killed many a evil person on the job to protect the innocent. However, this case rides heavily on finding a certain Zaunite alive. Because, if he isn't alive, then war will happen. Zaun will cry foul, like the whiny cowards they are, and Noxus will provide aide. Piltover, of course, will demand protection from Demacia. It's their right to request military aide in times of war, they just haven't needed to for a nearly a century now! Not helping the matter, is her own father seems to rousing up the cries for war himself. So many innocent lives depend on her finding this scientist alive! Please, let Wolf and Lamb not take the scientist. Caitlyn lets out her silent prayer, as she pounds down the icy steps of her apartment. Rosalee is close behind her, two small pistols resting lightly on her tiny body.

"Be careful what you wish for, mortal. You never know when your prayers will be heard, or granted." A gentle voice whispers in her ear.

Caitlyn shivers at the tone, knowing that it was probably Lamb talking to her. Fear goes down her spine at how close she is to the living embodiment of Death. However, this means that the one person that the fragile peace of her home resides on likely won't die! Relief floods her.

"I don't care. I just want Piltover safe." Caitlyn mutters softly in reply, ignoring the continued feeling of two sets of eyes watching her every movement.

"W-who?" Rosalee asks, voice damped by the falling sleet.

"Don't worry about it! We got a case to crack. All of Piltover depends on us to find this scientist." Caitlyn shouts back, hands holding her rifle tightly. The stakes are too high to think about anything other than complete success.


	37. Blood on the Wind

And now for something slightly different! This a part of ABLADD, only it is a side story going on at the same time. Huzzah Riv/Yas!

/

Yasuo stood over his brother's grave hot tears running down his cheeks. Yone had only done his duty to his clan. The clan declared him a traitor for an act he didn't commit. No one, not even his brother, believed his innocence. In fact, if he didn't know better himself...he'd believe them as well. The only two people for hundreds of miles that knew wind attacks was himself, and his master. There is no one else who knows such arts. That is his only clue to his redemption.

Until he proves his innocence, he will be hunted. No matter how far he runs, people will want him dead. People who will because of this misunderstanding. Yasuo refuses to give up and die. No matter how often people try to kill him, he will make sure they can't do so again. How many dead bodies will he leave behind him in this quest? No matter. Once runeterra knows the truth the needless killing can stop. Where should I go now? How can I find the truth?

As the wind by his side shifts to the right, he looks towards the direction it blows. The wind always guides him true. Shoving his brother's word into the swallow grave as a marker, Yasuo turns and walks away. Not looking back, Yasuo follows the wind. Like his emotions it swirls and twists around uncertain. Yet, it still returns to the same general direction. Southward. His journey is in the southern lands. Perhaps the wind will lead him out of Ionia.  
No one from his clan has ever left Ionia. Why would they? The outside world is troubled, restless. Countless, needless wars wage across the continent. The lands of Demacia and Noxus shed blood without care. There is no honor in their struggle, just the greed of power. It sickens him. There is no honorable Noxian, or good Demacian. After all, the Noxians have started to invade his home. How many of his people have been slaughtered over their pointless greed? And the so called righteous Demacians have not lifted a single finger to help. Some good they are. Hypocrites all of them! Dark troubled thoughts plague him as he travels.

It doesn't help that the world around him lay in ruins. Several villages laid to waste. As he travels he recognizes some of the landmarks. The villages Karma, Irelia, Lee Sin, and Yi love so much have been razed to the ground. Countless graves dot the landside. So many unmarked graves. If there is no family to pray for them, what will their souls do? Who will honor them? Remember their histories? Such needless violence over nothing. Nothing!

The saddest carnage he passed was what remained of Yi's village. A large area of ground sits poisoned, tainted. Foul poisons will rot this ground for thousands of generations. No good will every come from this place again. What is sad, is that several bodies lay unburied. No one can get them for a proper burial. No proper ritual burials for them. Nothing will be done for their bodies. Not even scavengers have touched the bodies, leaving nothing behind but bloated rotting corpses. Noxian and Ionian alike have no respite from the taint.

Still, his people have done the best for their dead. The trees left unscathed closest to the battleground have been used as markers. Proper grave markers, temples, and offerings are in place. The names of people who are remembered are carved into smooth stone tombstones. Oddly enough, and sickening enough, there is proper markings for the Noxians. Someone left behind a gravestone for them. Their names are etched into the stone, expensive lotus blossom incense burns low, and offerings of rice are left prepared. It makes his stomach turn with disgust. Who dares to honor such scum? Surely no Ionian in their right mind would do such a thing! Whoever did this is just as much a traitor he is. They should be exiled, instead of him. Who honors the dead of those who have no honor? No matter, he isn't here to reminisce over the foolish. He is here to honor the dead before leaving Ionia.

The winds of fate honor him. Only a few Ionians actually are a threat to him. Master Yi, Irelia, Shen, Akali, and Kennen are the foremost in his mind. Yet, they have gone to the League of Legends. A place of supposed peace. This group of champions are said to fight for their lands, to bring justice and end needless bloodshed. It is neutral ground, safe for him. Even though the most dangerous people in all of Ionian reside there, they cannot harm him. He will register with this League for sanctuary while he searches for the truth. It will give a place to sleep safely at night, say his prayers, and spar without killing anyone.

As far as he could find out, there is a section for people without a faction. There is lodging for him, a small cafeteria with food, and a small pay at the end of each week. Careful not to be detected, Yasuo registers with the council and the Summoners. Shortly after registering, he is led down to a chamber for Judgment. Supposedly this a terror, but nothing scars him anymore. After all, he has nothing left to lose. No family, no loved ones, not even any honor left for him to lose. What does he have to fear from a mere room? As he pushes open the door and steps inside the empty chamber, a bright light surrounds him. It blinds him, bringing him to a vision of horror.

Before him stands his brother. His sword is at the ready, his eyes cold. Unlike before, there is no emotions in his eyes. Nothing but emptiness. Blood red leaves fall around them, turning the wind blood red. He is cold, no freezing! Gasps of air escapes his lungs as he struggles to focus. To his horror, he finds himself unable to move as his brother dashes at him. As his brother swords pushes into his chest, he finds that his sword came up into his brothers stomach. Both of them are dying. Hot blood gushes from both of them, coating them.

"Traitor! You deserved worse than this...I...hate...you...honorless...cur..." Yone gasps out voice full of hatred before his eyes close for good.

Suddenly he finds himself alive in an empty chamber. Cold air surrounds him. He is informed by a booming voice that he has passed. That he must face his inner turmoil in order to be guided by a summoner. With a shake of his head to clear the dark thoughts, he nods his head in silent agreement. Without looking back, he leaves that dreaded chamber. Perhaps he has made a mistake by coming here? He'd hope for a chance at peace to find leads. No! I refuse to let a mere room defeat me. I need to calm down.

Restless, he explores the Halls of Justice. Ignoring the dusty abandoned hallways, he turns outside. There are several gardens. Most of them are ugly, but there is a small simple one tucked aside. Finding a sense of peace in this small garden, Yasuo takes a deep breath. Breathing deeply, he pulls out his flute and starts to play.

Sometime during his soothing melody he senses someone approach. Their aura is nonthreatening. All they seem to be doing is listening. Ignoring their rude intrusion he continues his song. Once he finishes, he turns to glare at his intruder. To his surprise is a woman of strength. A heavy, broken blade rests lightly in her hands. Light armor rests over her, showing a confidence in her skills. A sense of sorrow is oozes from her. A small smile crosses her face, before she blushes and looks away.

"I'm sorry to intrude. It is just that I haven't heard such a beautiful rendition of Liu Song's Maple Leaf in so long. Once I heard you play, I followed the sound to find you. All I wanted to do is listen to such a calming song. I apologize, it appears I disturbed you. I will leave now." The young woman says formally, in proper Ionian.

To his shock, he is given a deep bow of respect before she turns to leave. It has been so long since he has been treated such. So far no one in this cursed land has shown any sign of being civilized. More than that, no one has shown him such respect in Ionia for years. It hits him hard, a sense of home sickness. A desperation not to lose this little bit of familiarity causes him to act strangely. To reach out and grasp a small piece of home.

"Wait! You weren't...intruding. I'm just used to solitude. It pleases me to see such civilized behavior here, in this honorless place. I had not expected to be treated as such. My name is Yasuo. It is my pleasure to met such a noble Ionian, so far from home." Yasuo replies to her with a formal bow, reserved for an equal.

If this woman is here with such a weapon then she is surely a champion. To his shock, surprise, and slight dismay a look of horror crosses her face. Something he said has upset her. What though? Surely he did everything right. It has been years since he has been in Ionian, or talked to someone from Ionia, so he is out of practice. Yet, surely he didn't mess up that badly?

"My name is Riven. It is a pleasure to met such a fine warrior here. I...must go now. Again, I am sorry to have intruded." Riven says softly.

A look of sorrow flashes in her eyes confusing Yasuo. What did he do wrong to upset her so? Here, so far from Ionia he finally found a small piece of home. Did she recognize him as an exile? No, that couldn't be the case. Any proper Ionian would never treat him like such if they knew he was an exile. That he dishonored his clan so. Without another word, Riven turns away from him and disappears into the shadows.

Something about that woman intrigues him deeply. It goes beyond her shocking beauty. Sure, she is amazing lovely. Pure white hair, clear brown eyes, and creamy skin seem ethereal almost spiritual. The way she carries such a heavy weapon indicates raw strength something that turns him on. This Riven is no shrinking maiden, but a true warrior. A woman who has proven herself in battle. More than that, she has treated him like an equal. Something he didn't know he needed until it was gone. Just that little glimpse of home, strikes him hard. He must get to know her more.

Well, this is the place to learn more. He has time to learn about the traitor who ruined his life, but he doesn't know how much time he has with Riven. Tucking away his flute in a pocket he leaves the garden with purpose. As the days pass, he learns little bits about her. Snippets of knowledge here and there, nothing big though. She is factionless, which seems odd. Surely such a noble Ionian would be with Ionia, but she isn't. He finds out that she was in a tragic battle against Noxian forces, and lost everything. In her failure, she left everything behind and traveled aimlessly. He feels a deep connection with her. He has found another exile in this foreign place. Someone who understands his pain. Another warrior running from her past, trying to find redemption in a world that offers none.

What truly surprises him, however, is when he faces her in battle. Both of them frequent the top, and very rarely the middle lane. When she first used wind based attacks him, it got him killed. Where in the world did she learn such methods? He's never seen anything like it Ionia! It is definitely and Ionian attack style. Yet, he's never seen anything like it. It intrigues him deeply. Perhaps she knows something about the man who killed his master.

After living crossing paths with her numerous times, and the little bits of knowledge he gathered about her, he knows her to be a woman of honor. There is no way she would attack and kill an elderly man without warning. She would give him a fair fight. Not kill him in the middle of the night like a ninja. Carefully he studied the cursed ninja's the live here, yet none of them show any wind attack methods.

Perhaps luckily for him, or unlucky, all Ionians but Riven ignore him. None of them acknowledge his presence. None of them threaten him in the least. It is as if he doesn't exist to them. As much as their ignoring him brings him peace about being attacks, his nonexistence hurts. Being ignored in Ionia never bothered him. Yet, in this honorless place so far from home, their treatment stings. Only Riven acknowledges him, yet, she never stays long in his presence.

As far as he can tell, he said something to upset her. To his complete dismay he has yet to figure out what. He can't fix his mistake and become her friend if he doesn't know what is wrong. As the months pass, he grows restless. One day he sees why. Irelia and Karma are both dressed formally to honor the dead. It is the time of year to show respect to the deceased. He needs to show Yone, and his master, proper respect. To offer up his prayers of apology, and remember them. With a firm purpose he heads into a small town just outside of the Halls of Justice.

To his luck, there is a store that sells the incense he needs. Perhaps because he is so late in getting the supplies, but he gets the last of the lotus blossom incense. As he purchases the incense he spots Riven walking into the store with purpose. Discreetly he waits outside for her. Surely this a great time to talk to her! Maybe they can honor the dead together. As he listens in, he finds out that she needs to buy some lotus blossom incense. At her sigh of unhappiness at not finding any, he feels joy. Finally he has found a way to spend time with her! As Riven walks out of the store, head held high, but eyes full of regret he stops her.

"If you're honoring the dead without a name, I have some incense you can have. If I had known you needed some, I would not have bought the rest. Here, take this." Yasuo says with quiet respect.

Making sure his Ionian is perfect he waits for her response. To his joy, he recieves a bow of thanks and a smile. As he hands her the incense their hands touch. A spark of desire flares between them. Riven looks away from him in shock. Surely she isn't upset at this?

"Thank you Yasuo." Riven tells him formally, with a deep bow.

"I have found a small garden with a temple in the center. We can offer our prayers there. It has everything for the right rituals. No one else uses it. Yi, Irelia, Karma, Shen, Kennen, and Akali all have personal shrines. We won't run into them." Yasuo explains quickly before she leaves.

"That...would be nice. It is hard to not be able to find peace here. So much noise and activity. A little piece of Ionia is a pleasant surprise." Riven tells him softly.

Pleasure at her agreement to spend time with him wars with his unhappiness at her sorrow. Sometimes he wonders why she doesn't spend time with the other Ionians. She has nothing done nothing worthy of their distain like he has.

"Riven, you can't run from your past. I know. Your spirit and sword may be broken, but that doesn't mean you can't rebuild them." Yasuo tells her seriously.

"You know nothing of my pain Yasuo." Riven snaps at him.

"Both of our pasts weigh heavy. Perhaps mine weighs more than your sword. You should not dismiss other's feelings." Yasuo tells her seriously, refusing to let her brush him away.

"Perhaps you are right. I apologize for dismissing your past. When can you show me this garden?" Riven replies with neutral tone of voice, and deep bow.

"I can show you tomorrow. We both have matches at noon, we can meet afterwards in the garden where we first met." Yasuo says, voice also neutral returning the bow.

As they part paths, Yasuo wonders what part of her past makes her so weary. Whatever happened in that battle changed her for the worse. Something he wants to change for the better. He knows deep inside that they can heal each other. Somehow, over the course of getting to know her, he's fallen in love. Although they haven't talked much, he has observed her. Everything about her appeals to him.

Despite her troubled past, Riven treats everyone with respect. Everyone is treated as an equal, as if there is nothing sour between them. Her presence is battle is firm, powerful, and assertive. She is confident, quiet, and reserved. Yet, when the need arrives she doesn't hesitate to speak up. That, and one rare occasions he has seen a sorrow in her eyes that mirrors his own. If only she'd let him get close! No matter, he'll get his chance tomorrow. A chance he won't mess up. Once Yasuo reaches his room, he starts his preparations for tomorrow.

First he makes sure that his best yukata is clean, and ready. All of the supplies he needs to honor his dead are prepared and ready. The last thing he gets ready is some very good sake. He has to be prepared to be rejected again. What is the best way to cure being shoved aside again? Getting drunk! Once everything is ready, he puts them in a bag and sets it down by the door. As he drifts off to sleep, he dreams of white hair, brown eyes, and sad smiles.

The next day passes slowly. Eager to spend alone time with Riven, time never seems to pass quickly enough. Once his battle on the Fields of Justice start, he works as hard as he can. The quicker the match is over, the better! Sure enough, he dominates his mid lane opponent. He is facing that cur known as Zed. Despite also being an exile from Ionia, Zed is a dark mark. Not only is he a ninja, he kills for power. Refusing to honor the way things, he slaughters he fellows with pleasure. It brings Yasuo gets great pleasure to defeat such a ninja in battle. Well, killing any ninja feels good, but soundly defeating such a smear on life is doubly good.

As he exits the room, he finds Riven waiting for him. She does not have her sword with her. Instead of being dressed in her standard armor and clothing, she is wearing a simple yukata. It is a dark green with patterns of leaves on it. Her hair is done up, but with a different style than normal. Held tightly in her hands is a small bag with the supplies she requires. Instead of the usual aloof look she gives him, there is something different in her gaze. Something that pleases him. He doesn't recognize the look, but it is a good one.

"Let me change, then I'll show you the way." Yasuo tells her.

Going as quick as he can, Yasuo changes into his yukata. Making sure his wild hair is as tame as he can make it, he goes to meet her. His dark blue yukata has a pattern of interlocking squares on it. Giving her a deep bow, he mentions for her to follow him. Quietly she falls instep beside him. Silently they walk side by side through the gardens. Once they reach the garden he wants to show, she lets out a small gasp of surprise.

"This is perfect." Riven tells him with joy.

The two of them set up their respective temples, and start their prayers. They both say the same prayer. Both of them pray for the nameless dead who died pointless deaths. Soon their voices join harmony, as they both honor those long gone. Once they stop praying, Riven looks away as if ashamed.

"I should leave. I don't belong here, like this. With you. I should honor my dead somewhere else. I showed a moment of weakness. I'm sorry Yasuo." Riven tells him with deep sorrow.

"Wait! Don't leave. Why don't you belong? We're both the same...we both have the blood of innocents on our blades. We both have pasts that weight so much that we can never truly run from them. Why do you brush me aside? I want..." Yasuo asks desperately, grabbing her wrist stopping her from leaving.

"You don't want me Yasuo. No one wants me. No one should want me. Look! Look at my grave marker! Do you recognize it? You should! I'm honoring the Noxians who died in the battle over Master Yi's village. I was the commander who lead my men against innocent Ionians. I am responsible for countless deaths of innocent Ionians. I do not deserve anyone's respect for my actions. Much less your respect as much as I want...Never mind. I've said too much. I need to go." Riven tells him harshly, yanking her wrist.

Yasuo refuses to her go. As shocking as her tale is, it doesn't bother him much. Sure enough, her past is heavy. Yet, it isn't her fault that such slaughter happened. He's learned a lot about that battle in his search for information. The vile man known as Singed is the one responsible. He was ordered to kill the Noxians and Ionians. All the Noxians were doing was following orders. Not all Noxians took pleasure in the slaughter they caused. A lot of them were just following orders. That is honorable. Wasn't Yone just following orders when he attacked him? She's done nothing but act with respect. Despite her following honors to raze Ionia, she still learned their culture. Instead of rejecting the beauty around her, she embraced it. That is beyond honorable. It is an amazing show of good character.

"I don't care about that. I care about you. I've learned to love the woman who treats everyone with respect. Who learned to embrace the beauty of a culture foreign to her, to learn to love it. A woman who bears the scars from the past, yet refuses to give up. Someone who is a strong warrior who refuses to give up. Please...please don't go. I've wanted to have a moment of privacy with you for so long. Please don't leave yet." Yasuo says, almost begging near the end.

To his joy, she doesn't leave. She just lets out a sigh, and sits down next to him. Smoothing at her yukata she turns to face him. The evening light gives her an ethereal look. She gives him a smile. A smile that warms him to his very core.

"I'm glad you think so. You're a man I admire. I've wanted to get to know you as well, but I've been afraid. Afraid that you'll reject me once you learned the truth. Now that I know better, I feel joy. A feeling of happiness I was afraid I could never feel again." Riven tells him with a smile.

"This calls for a celebration! And I know just the way. Here, let me share this..." Yasuo says with joy.

Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine she would feel the same way towards him. He'd thought that he would have to work hard to win her over. To show her his good traits, prove that he is worthy of her. And the best way to celebrate anything is with drinking. Luckily, he brought his best stuff with him. Pulling out his bottle of sake, he pours himself a full glass before doing the same for her. All she does is roll her eyes at him before downing her sake. With a distinct snap, she sets down her glass ready for her next shot. She is challenging him to a traditional celebratory drinking match. I am the luckiest man alive! Downing his sake with speed, he then pours them each another glass.

As the night starts, and begins to pass the two of them finish off the sake. Both of them are flushed and talking loudly. Soon enough they are swapping stories about bar fights. The noble acting Riven has gotten into several bar fights. It pleases him that she is sharing her less then perfect past with him. As she giggles after one of his stories, that he proudly acts out, he falls over landing on her. As he lies on top of her, he goes breathless. Never before has he been in such a situation. All she does is smile welcomingly at him. Using one of his hands, he undoes her hair, having it cascade around her face.

"Love me. For this one night, let's forget our past and live in the moment." Riven whispers at him before leaning up and kissing him deeply.

Uncertain if it is because t hey are drunk or not, but he follows her request. A part of him burns with desire. Yasuo wants her, wants to show her how much he feels for her. With awkward eagerness, he slides her yukata off her shoulders. As her pale skin gleams in the silver moonlight he starts to kiss her shoulders, before working his way down to her breasts. Riven moans with pleasure at his efforts, causing him to kiss her more. As he begins to kiss her more, she squirms a bit freeing up her arms.

With eagerness, she also slides his yukata off his shoulders, then off him entirely. Breaking off his kisses, he looks at her. Her eyes are bright with desire and need. But there is more than that in her gaze. An emotion deep and wild stares back at him. As she wraps her arms around his neck she pulls him close. Leaning upwards she captures his month with hers. Their tongues start to mingle against each other, probing eager to explore each other's mouth. Pressing downward with his knee, he parts her legs. She spreads them without hesitance. As he continues to kiss her, one of his hands starts to wander south.

As it travels down her magnificent body, he takes him exploring her. Gently he traces her scars, and her navel. Every part of her is amazing, and he wants to admire her. As his hand starts to explore her, one of her hands wrap around him. Soon enough, her hands are exploring him. Just as tenderly, respectfully, she traces his scars. Shivers of pleasure go through him. She isn't revolted by his scars, but admires his as much as he admires her. She matches him perfectly. As their hands explore each other's body, he decides to take it a step further.

Shifting downward, he firmly presses his hand against her womanhood. At his touch, Riven lets out a gasp of pleasure. As he starts to probe, stroke, and massage her, he can feel her body start to arc upwards with need. Lovingly kissing her, he slowly enters her. He finds no residence, and to his joy she presses up against him, drawing him in deeper. At first he goes slow and steady, working up a rhythm. With his every movement she matches his, her hands wrapped around his back. Once he starts to go in faster and harder, her moans get louder and more urgent. Strong hands grip his shoulders, leaving bruises. The more she moans beneath him, the more he wants her. To his joy, he can feel her start to reach her peak. Making sure she feels amazing, he alters his angle some pressing down deeper. He can feel her body tighten with desire against him, letting him know he's pleasured her right. The knowledge that he brought to such levels causes him to release his load. Once he finishes emptying his essence deep into her he nuzzles her neck. Laying side by side, the two of them hold hands content to be with each other.

"Yasuo, you deserve better than me. You deserve to be free of your past, to be able to return home. You don't belong here, among us barbarians. You belong among the small villages surrounded by snow covered mountains." Riven tells him softly, her voice having an odd tone to it.

"I don't want anyone else. And when I'm free of my past, we can return to Ionia together. Once the monster that slaughtered my master is dead, I'll be free. We'll be free." Yasuo tells her, his voice heavy with emotion.

"Let's sleep Yasuo. I'm sure you'll be free of your past soon, and you'll be able to return home. The wind is by your side, it'll lead you true. I'll make sure of it." Riven whispers in his ear before snuggling close against him.

As he drifts off to sleep he brushes off her odd words. Something about the things she said seems alarming, but he can't figure out what. No matter! She is by his side. For the first since the death of his brother, things are looking up. He's found pleasure with an amazing woman, and he can just tell things are about to change. A deep feeling of contentment fills him. Tomorrow will be a good day. But for now, he is going to sleep.

As the sun rises above the garden walls, the all too familiar pounding headache of a hangover greets him. Squinting his eyes against the annoyingly bright sunlight, he notices with alarm that Riven is missing. She is nowhere nearby, nor is any of her belongings. Did he do something wrong? He could have sworn that after last night they would be together. Pain spiking in skull with every step, he gathers his belongings. Not as gracefully as he would have liked, he stumbles to his room. Setting down his meager items, he sits down to think. Something he did upset Riven. Now that he knows she cares for him, he'll find out what he did wrong. And fix it! No, do more than fix his mistake! Show her how much he wants her to be happy. With that plan in mind Yasuo heads out the door again.

Wandering the halls looking for Riven, he spots no sign of her. This isn't too alarming. After all, she'll have a hangover too. Perhaps she's resting her in room? That'd be a great place to look for her. As he approaches her room, he finds it hallway oddly empty. As he knocks on her door, there is no reply. Deciding that she is probably deep asleep still, he turns away. To the far right a young servant boy eyes him with an odd expression.

"What." Yasuo growls.

"Um, she's gone you know. Champion Riven left on personal business early this morning. I just thought you should know since you like..." before the young boy can finish Yasuo takes off running.

Sprinting with the wind guiding him, Yasuo reaches the Summoners office quickly. As he rushes into the office, he notices that none of the workers will look him in the eye. Something happened, and he doesn't know what. A menacing growl escapes his throat. What has that foolish, stubborn, hard headed woman done?

"Where. Is. She." Yasuo snarls.

"She requested personal leave about a month ago. Said she had personal business in Ionia that needed attending too. Something that she has put off too long." One of the young secretaries stammers.

Fear spikes in his heart. There could only be one thing she needs to do, and that is atone for her supposed sins. She could get herself killed! No matter what could happen to him in Ionia, he has to stop her from hurting herself. The mere thought of her in pain twists his stomach painfully.

"I'm going after her. Do whatever needs to be done." He says with a rush, as he dashes out the door.

Only spending a couple minutes to pack his sword and a single set of spare clothing he runs out the building. He can't take the League's teleportation station to Ionia, it'll lead him to heart of his enemies. No, he has to go to a local village for transportation. He just prays that he'll catch her in time. So many things can go wrong. Not everyone is as open minded as he is about the battle she was in. If the wrong people find out her supposed crimes, they'll kill her. He can't let that happen! There has to be a way to show her that there are other ways to redemption. Once he catches up with her, and stops her from hurting herself they can find honor together. Certainly with her, and the wind by his side he can find the man responsible for killing his master. I'm coming Riven...armed with a new mission, a new purpose in life Yasuo runs towards an uncertain future, leaving the League far behind him.


	38. BotW2

Bright sun glints off crystal clear blue water. Waves gently rock against the ship, the seas calm and clear. Everything around her seems cheerful, a perfect day for traveling. The world around Riven reflects the exact opposite of her inner turmoil. Dark, stormy thoughts boil dangerously through her. Conflicting emotions tear at her, causing a sharp pain to spike through her.

It is a pain that she hasn't felt for a long, long time. A pain Riven thought she had left behind her forever. But, no, the pain returned in full to haunt her every waking moment. The agony even invaded her sleep, dreams of a certain samurai warrior flooding through her mind. With a violent shake of her head, Riven tries to drive the memory of his touch from her thoughts. But it is proves impossible for her to forget the touch of his hands tracing over her flesh. A blush heats up her face, and Riven turns her entire attention to the clear water floating past.

For reasons she could not fathom, Yasuo had developed feelings for her. Riven avoided him as much as possible in the Institute of War. He shrugged off her cold shoulder treatment like water rolls off a duck's back. If he had been any other Ionian, any other man, she would have happily returned his attraction. Yasuo is strong, handsome, and honorable. He is everything she ever wanted in a man. However, her tainted past also stains his in unforgivable ways. Once he finds out the truth about her, he will never forgive her actions. Calmly, the sea moves past, drawing her ever closer to her destiny in Ionia.

Riven had hoped that once she revealed her actions as a Noxian Commander in Ionia, Yasuo would reject her like as he should. But, the opposite happened. To her shock, he forgave her crimes against his people. His charming smile broke through the walls around her heart, and she gave in to her desires. The two of them got very drunk, and a night of passion followed. Yasuo is a wonderful lover, and even the mere thought of his hands on her skin caused a fire to burn deep in her loins. If only he were any other Ionian! But, no, her stained past came back to haunt her in the form of a man who could never love her back. At least, not once he learned the truth. It is her fault that he is an exile.

It was not her blade that slew his master, but it might as well have been. After the fateful battle that changed the course of her destiny away from Noxus, Riven was lost. Unable to return home, she wandered aimlessly through Ionia looking for forgiveness that would not come to her. Riven's spirit was as broken as her blade. Yet, one fateful evening she came across an old man. His face mirrored her own, both of them had lost everything they held dear. She accepted his invitation for tea, and the two of them became close.

His name was Jin, and he was the last of his clan. What was once a proud family of warriors who mastered the wind as their weapon, was reduced to one. One night, Jin told her his woeful tale. Two men loved the same woman. Both of them had been best friends in their youth, but they could not agree who should marry her. The woman, one Sakura, chose Jin as her husband. They gave birth to twin sons, the heirs to his legacy. The man who claimed to be his best friend became bitter. One night, Jin's former friend gathered his closet warriors and slaughtered Jin's entire family.

Only Jin survived the massacre, and that is because Sakura cast a powerful protection spell over him. Bitter, and broken, Jin fled his former village to seek vengeance at a later time. As the years passed, he could not find the power he needed to exact his revenge. He was about to give up on life, when he found another lost soul – Riven. He taught her the ways of Ionia. Jin passed along all the knowledge he knew into her. She learned his language, his culture, and the way of using the wind as a weapon. Riven learned to love Ionia from him, and she viewed Jin as a father. She trusted him entirely, and would have done anything for him.

Yet, Jin only wanted to use her for his own purposes. One night he asked her to share in a special ritual. One that would their spirits, and her strength would become his. Of course Riven agreed, Jin had become her new family. Once the ritual was complete, Riven found herself trapped in her own body. All of her strength was gone, she was too weak to even lift her head. As she lay on the ground, helpless, she felt the twisted, pulsing hatred from Jin. He only befriended her for this one moment, the one chance to use her power as his own. What was once a fragile, broken old man, was a powerful warrior bent on death, and destruction. He stole away in the night, and murdered his rival. But, no, his revenge was not complete with that one death. He wanted to destroy everything his former friend held dear.

Unable to bear children of his own, his rival poured his care into a single, beloved pupil – one Yasuo. Jin framed Yasuo for his own crimes, knowing that the young man would be hunted for life. Vengeance now complete, Jin took his own life stealing away the only chance Yasuo had for redemption. Once their forced bond was broken, Riven regained her strength. Since they were joined in spirit, Riven saw everything that Jin had done. Sickened by his actions, Riven fled Ionia in shame. Yes, she could clear Yasuo's name, but she couldn't bear the guilt on her hands. Her entire life, she had been the puppet of others, and she would not be used again.

Riven knew nothing of this Yasuo, and his story. But, she did know the injustices poured upon Jin. As much as she loathed Jin's using her, she could not bring herself to hate him. He had given her a home, and shown her a new way of life. After all, being used by others is common in Noxus, surely it wasn't that different in Ionia? Eventually she found herself joining the Institute of War. Riven enjoyed the safety, and solitude the place offered. Yet, she found herself missing the snowcapped mountains of Ionia. Ionia gave her a deep sense of peace, a peace she has found nowhere else. Still, she could not bring herself to return there. She had escaped her past, and she was done running.

However, her past caught up with her. One day without warning, the man whose life she had directly ruined joined the League. Yasuo crashed into her life, destroying the delicate sense of peace she had searched so hard to find. He was nothing like she expected. From the way Jin talked, she thought he would an arrogant ass. But, how wrong she was! He proved to be an honorable man, forced to do terrible things. Despite all the death he caused, he still showed a sense of decency, care, and integrity. He was everything she loved about Ionia, only made flesh.

Without realizing it, she treated him like a proper Ionian on their first encounter. After all, he wasn't the terrible exile Ionia claimed him to be, he was a victim of hate. He deserved to be treated like an honorable Ionian warrior, not the wandering scum others claimed him to be. Yet, fear kept her from telling him the terrible truth. To her shame, he mistook her for an Ionian instead of the Noxian she truly is. Riven wanted him in so many ways, but she knew it would never work out between them. His exile was her fault, she had slaughtered so many of his people, and how could he ever forgive her? If she couldn't forgive herself, there was no way he'd forgive her. In a moment of weakness, she gave into her desire to be with him.

What followed was an unforgettable night of passion, and unexpected forgiveness. As the two of them lay entwined after their love making, Riven was struck by a deep pain. For reasons she didn't completely understand, she had fallen in love with Yasuo, and he returned her feelings. The two of them were bond together, their hearts tangled together in ways she didn't understand. Yasuo deserved better than her, he deserved to among his own people. Knowing he wouldn't understand, she whispered a promise to him. Everything would be made right. She held the knowledge to make right his exile, and she would face her crimes for his freedom. It took all of her will power to separate her body from Yasuo's sleeping form, and leave him behind.

A month prior, she had asked for an absence of leave from the Institute of War. In a moment of weakness, she admitted she had business in Ionia to one of the secretaries. Nothing else was said about the purpose of her visit to Ionia. More than in the world she wanted to be with Yasuo, to be a part of his future. Parts of her dreamed of a future with him, by his side in Ionia, raising a family of warriors.

Yet, this was an impossible vision. Because of her foolishness, she had ruined his life. How many had died by his hands? Although it was his blade that ended their life, it was her actions that ultimately caused their death. If Riven had not helped Jin, Yasuo would still have a family, his brother would still be alive.

It would be a long journey, but if she told the truth to Ionian leaders, she could free Yasuo of his exile. This path would mean the end of her, after all, she was a Noxian who did nothing but bring death to this peaceful land. Her life held no value to the Ionian people, but her death would bring them long deserved justice. Riven knew that her death would bring justice to Yasuo. He would finally be free, and she would finally leave her tainted past behind her, forever.

During her stay in the Institute she had gathered friends. Among them was the woman known as Miss Fortune. Riven asked her for safe passage to Ionia, and received her request. Miss Fortune did not ask her the reason for her voyage, and for that Riven was thankful. As the mainland drew smaller behind her, Riven turned to face her future in Ionia. A future that would be short lived, but would give the man she loved a brighter future. One future free of exile, free of needless slaughter, free to as he wished. Her heart heavy with sorrow, Riven turned away from the edge of the ship. She would arrive in Ionia by nightfall, she needed to ready for the task ahead of her.

In her mind, she saw Yasuo's face, smiling at her. More than anything she wanted him to be happy, and this was the only way to set right the wrongs of the past. Heart heavy, but mind determined, Riven cast aside her own selfish dreams, and focused instead on her knew purpose – freeing Yasuo of sins he did not commit. Redemption would come to both of them, but only with her death.


	39. Rituals

There is a piece of ABLADD, only from Tryn's view. Yes, this will eventually include all champs, from many areas. If you don't like the format, where all the stories are smooshed together here, I have them posted on different sites.

/

Frigid air brushes Tryndamere's hair askew. Steel eyes sweep across the frozen tundra, seeking out signs of trouble. It is well past the midnight hour, prime time for an ambush from the Winter's Claw. Just a fortnight earlier they tried to sneak up on his people, and slaughter them while they slumbered.

Rage at their cowardly tactics squeezes his heart. It doesn't take much these days to cause the spark of unbound rage to ignite. What is different, however, is the balm that soothes down the never ending burning desire to slay into dim embers. For an unknown amount of time after Aatrox did his dastardly slaughter, Tryndamere wandered aimlessly. So many people dead by his hands, because he couldn't contain the horror in his soul. Who knows how many people would be slain, if he had not met Ashe that fateful day?

Ashes's keen gaze cuts away his rage. Something about her brings him peace. Quickly he agreed to join her cause, to fight by her side until his death. Tryndamere did not join her because he wants an unified Freljord. No, his reasons are entirely selfish. Only when he is by her side that can he get rest. Hellfires! He's spared that boar riding bitches life a couple times because of Ashe. If Sejuani hadn't pressured Ashe with war, then the reason for his political marriage wouldn't be. If it weren't for bloody politics, Ashe wouldn't think twice about marrying him.

Abruptly the wind shifts. It is nearing dawn, his watch is over. Soon enough his replacement takes over. Silently he strides across camp, seeking out his tent. Small flickers of light dance under the entrance flap. Ah, his wife stayed up all night working again! Avarosan people did not deserve Ashe's dedication. Dim light washes over him, illuminating his gaze as he enters his home. Head tucked in her arms, Ashe slumbers fitfully at her desk. Ink stains her fingers, sleeve, and at least one official document.

One index finger flicks the offending quill away from Ashe. Without warning, Tryndamere scoops her up in his arms. Ashe doesn't even fully wake, just mumbles softly under her breathe. Carefully he removes her clothing before settling her down in bed. Soon he is naked as well, and he curls up next to her. Gently he cradles her small form against his chest. Shortly after that, sleep slowly starts to descend on him. More often then he would like, he has to tuck his over worked spouse into bed. However, by now it is a calming ritual. A ritual he would not give up easily.


	40. Heaven's Rain

Yet more ABLADD, only from Teemo!

/

Teemo quickly scribbles on a piece of faded parchment. Every night he writes a letter to Tristana, telling her about his day. Light from his campfire illuminates the still darkness. An owl hoots softly, serenading the night.

Images of Tristana come to his mind. First he remembers her warm smile. Her wild laugh echoes in his mind, reminding him of battles they fought together. As one of the few yordles who also actively travel outside of Bandle City, she understands his love of the unknown. Fear never held back Tristana! Faint memories of them staying up late float through his mind's eye. How often had they talked about exploring the wilderness together, when they were young?

Any yordle would be glad to have such a fine marksman watching their back. Suddenly a fresher image comes to mind. Rumble and Tristana holding hands. The two of them walking together after a date. The kiss his two best friends shared under the moonlight. Pain spikes through him, reminding him of why he left to gather his favorite poison. Teemo wasn't running low on it, but he had to get away from the agony. Once the letter is finished, he signs it "Love, Teemo". And like the all the nights previous, he throws the letter into the fire.

Why couldn't he have told her how he felt? Carefully settling down for bed, Teemo stares up at the night sky. He knows exactly why he did not tell Trist his feelings. Even now, the thought of her looking at him with disbelief in her eyes stabs him with worry. Death awaits a yordle at every turn, if they leave Bandle City. Countless times he has looked Death in the eyes and kept on going. Interestingly enough, Death is actually two different beings. A wolf, and man sized like creature sometimes appear in the corner of his eyes before he kills someone. Teemo would rather face those two beings without weapons, then see Tristana mock his feelings. Losing her respect, to him, is a fate worse than death.

Or so Teemo first thought! When he watched Tristana and Rumble dancing in the moonlight, a pain spiked through his heart. Agony drove down his spine, faster than goosebumps. Even though losing her respect is a terrible fate, losing her is just as bad. So he ran far from Bandle City. Perhaps he can find something to comfort his heartache. Stars twinkle endless, ignoring his silent pain. Suddenly, a burst of light streaks across the heavens!

Teemo has heard about these sorts of things! They're called meteors by the bigwigs in Piltover. Blinding him with its glory, the blazing rock flies over him. Not terribly far from him it impacts hard onto the soft. The ground trembles, leaves fall from healthy branches, and birds take flight in a panic. An idea sparks to mind! Perhaps he can impress Tristana if he fetches this meteor! Such a feat has not been made by a yordle so far. Sleep forgotten, Teemo packs up his gear and heads deeper into the jungle.


	41. Heavens Rain 2

Rain pours down from the clouds. Fierce winds compete with lightning for dominance of the sky. Ignored by the storm is a lone yordle. Tristana is standing guard at the top of the tallest tower in Bandle City. At this height any signs of incoming danger are spotted well in advance. In terrible weather the post is deadly. More than one yordle has died while on duty here. However the safety of Bandle City is foremost, and that tower is always manned.

Tristana has volunteered for this particular post for the past two weeks. Death has never really bothered her. In fact, there is a thrill in facing down death. What does bother her, however, is the absence of Teemo. They've been best friends since a very young age. Teemo has always had her back! Not once has he let her down in a fight. Cold rain blasts against her cheeks. Pink hair dangles limp against her skull. Again, she sweeps the horizon for any sign of movement. No sign of him! _Blast it Teemo, why'd you go and run off?!_ For the first time in her entire life, Tristana is scared.

Teemo is missing and it is all her fault! She knows he loves her; she's known it for a long time. Tristana also knows that Rumble loves her as well. Just as deeply as the fabled Swift Scout does. Unlike silly humans, yordles are open to polyamorous relationships. It would be wonderful if she could start a nest with them both! Yet, it is the female's role arrange such things. Proper form must be followed for such relationships to be considered valid in the eyes of Yordle Law. Like a fool, she always put off a proper Joining.

Similar to a human proposals, a Joining is a request for a group of Yordles to become a nested set. Almost all nests are run by matriarchs. As such it would be her duty to set up the request between the three of them. Yet, she didn't. Foolishly, she allowed Rumble a solo dance at a harvest festival. It is poor etiquette to show favoritism before a Joining! Teemo saw her dancing with Rumble. Before she could explain her faux paux, and apologize...he left. Up and went mushroom hunting without prior warning! More importantly, without proper supplies.

Off he went into danger unprepared! Because she didn't follow the rules. Now all she can do is wait for his return. When Teemo returns, Tristana will apologize. Explain that she wants a Joining. See if it is possible to make a proper nest. Fear nibbles at her. Panic sits on her back growing larger each day Teemo is late. _He has to be okay!_ She'd be worried if he was late. Now she is nearly in a panic because he's late after leaving unprepared. A polite cough comes from behind her.

"Hey Rumble," Tristana greets her friend. He respects her soldier upbringing. Rumble never startles her, he respects her reflexes.

"Nothing, still?" Rumble inquires, holding out a hand. In his paw is a neat sandwich.

"Yeah. Rumble...what if…" Tristana starts to ask swallowing her fear. "What if he's dead? Because of me?"

"Hey, Trist I have an idea. Instead of waiting for Teemo...we go out and fetch him home! I've got the hextech, you've got the guns. We can handle any danger thrown at us. I'd like a chance to talk to him myself. We both made mistakes that night. I knew about Teemo's feelings. Your desire for nest wasn't a surprise. I was selfish, and asked for something I shouldn't have. We're both at fault, if anything happens to him." Rumbles replies, as he sits down next to her. One of his hands still holds out the sandwich. Which is quickly falling apart in the wind and rain.

"You're right! Rumble start packing. I need two Bandle Gunner standard issue travel packs. Once I'm free from this watch we'll leave. See you at the East Gate, dawn?" Trist yells, eyes flashing with purpose. One of her hands reaches out and takes hold of the remaining sandwich. It tastes divine. "Thanks, Rumble."

"Anytime Trist. We'll talk some sense into Teemo. If need be, we can knock some sense in that dense mind of his. I'm not entirely certain his helmet isn't grafted to his skull…" Rumbles replies, a manic look in his eyes.

Both of them know trouble is coming. A warning of danger is on the breeze, setting some yordles on edge. Victory is found in unity is a fact. All yordles know this. Teemo needs them, they need Teemo. Come the Void or worse, they will fetch him. Together the three of them will defend their loved ones from war.


	42. Cycle of Life Continues

More ABLADD side stuff...only from NASUS!

/

Nasus kneels before a single white candle. A tiny flame eats away at the wick. It will not provide light for much longer. His kind does not celebrate birthdays. They do not follow mere mortal holidays. The cycle of life and death continues, his duty eternal.

Despite the never ending cycle he follows, things change. What was once his solemn role, is now a death sentence. If only he'd chosen differently back then! Perhaps Renekton would still be sane. No, his brother made his choice, and he his. Yet, Nasus will burden the sins of their failure.

For all eternity, Nasus and his brother Renekton, have been tasked with keeping Shurima safe. They were Gods who guided mortals about the dangers of Ascension. Mortals should not tamper with the forces of the Gods. However, Gods are often busy. So, Gods occasionally leave their tasks to mortals. With proper guidance! Hence, Renekton and him both chose to guide mortals on the proper use of bottomless power. Not only the proper use, but the correct timing as well. Ascension should be the very last option taken! Such power is not meant for mortals.

To his everlasting shame, he failed that duty. Deep in his heart is a dagger of regret. Struck there by his failure to both his brother, and his eternal task. Nasus misses his brother, deeply. Eternity is a long time to spend alone, kept company only by guilt.

Over the ages, he became careless. Nasus did not properly track the descendants of Azir like he had been tasked. In theory, only the line of Azir has the blood to Ascend. Xerath proved everyone wrong, and Renekton paid the price! Damn foolish mortals. Not understanding the cost of their actions. Yet, who is he to judge? He lost track of the heirs to Shurima. So certain was he, that the tomb couldn't be found.

The last living heir to Shurima, Sivir, had been used to resurrect Xerath. In the chaos of his neglect, Renekton and Xerath, both now stalk Runeterra with plans of gore, and glory. Cassiopeia cursed by a snake deity, manipulated Sivir into opening the tomb. This gave an insane Noxian even more magical power, adding more dangers to the people of Shurima. In just the span of a few moons, the very last shreds of his duty came undone.

Nasus can no longer run from his fate. He is destined to protect Shurima, and to do so, he must kill. By his hand, he must end Xerath, Renekton, and Cassiopeia. Yet, he knows this to be impossible. Before, it took the might of two to seal away Xerath. Now, he must contend with three powerful opponents. It is a fight he cannot hope to win, but a battle he can no longer run from. The candle burns out. Darkness fills the small cavern. It is time to atone for his failure.

Staff in hand, Nasus rises slowly. Walking out of the darkness, he surveys the sands around him. Uncertain of his path, he waits for a sign. A shooting star dashes across the night sky, heading North. There, he will follow that. Not looking back, Nasus heads North.


End file.
